This page provides information and links to new information on research and development issues in aquaculture and will be updated accordingly. Links to RTD organisations and networks are on the right-hand menu bar.

For those who involved in European Research, the  6th Framework Programme is starting and a new  website has been established to provide background and detailed information to potential applicants.

VALLA (Validation of all lifelong learning in Aquaculture) is a 2 years European project aiming to demonstrate - using the aquaculture as a pilot - how to validate and recognize short-term sectoral training (including non-formal learning)

More details on www.vallaproject.com

"ORION" is a LEONARDO DA VINCI Pilot Project which aims to create a 'Virtual' Marine Environment Department which can deliver Open and Distance Learning (ODL) courses in a variety of languages. For further and updated information on this project, follow this link.

Aquaflow , managed by the  European Aquaculture Society, provides many one-page summary leaflets on the results of both European and National aqauculture research projects and will be presenting the work and progress of this European Thematic Network in the context of the Profet Workshops being organise in Europe during 2003-2004.

The objectives of Aquaflow are:

• To inform producers and their servicing industry about the latest research findings from EU-funded programmes;
• To identify needs for further research based on the industry's targets;
• To enhance the application of research and hence the competitiveness of the industry;
• To improve the services of producer Associations;
• To establish a wider and faster circulation of RTD information to the industry;
• To improve communications with and to isolated SMEs;
• To demonstrate the benefits of electronic communication systems (email, Internet).

Full details on the Aquaflow Network are available on its dedicated website

AquaTT is responsible for AquaTnet, a Thematic Network Project funded by the European Commission, whose role is to assess higher level education in Europe.

Its aim, as with TNPs in other areas, is to build a platform for co-operation and exchange of experiences, to outline options for the future development of the European higher education system, and to provide the Commission with policy recommendations. 

For agricultural and farming activities, AFANet was found and this comprises two sub-networks, the DEMETER network (agriculture, forestry, the environment, language policy and international relations officers) and AQUA-TNET (aquaculture). AquaTT Ltd  has been co-ordinating AQUA-TNET activities since September 1996. 

In its first 3 years AQUA-TNET established a higher education forum to assess, compare and analyse the state of the aquaculture tertiary education sector in Europe, and to identify key curriculum development and assessment objectives leading to the dissemination of best practice and a more open, transparent and innovative system of education provision. 

The AQUA-TNET network partnership comprises the leading European academic institutions offering aquaculture courses and has representatives from 17 EU/EEA (European Economic Area) countries.

ASEFAF - Access to South European Finfish Aquaculture Facilities 

The European Community and IFREMER have agreed to provide transnational access for Researchers to the Major Research Infrastructure entitled "Access to South European Finfish Aquaculture Facilities "to be carried out in the framework of the specific research and technological development programme/specific research and training programme "improving the Human Research Potential and the Socio-economic Knowledge base.

Access for European scientists in the field of aquaculture and marine biology will be provided to the IFREMER stations entitled Palavas and Brest Finfish Aquaculture Facilities (FAF), situated at Palavas (34250) and Plouzane (29280), owned and operated by French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the sea (IFREMER).

Within the infrastructure, access will be made available to the following installation(s) :

• in Palavas : in the Aquaculture Experimental Hall (PALAVAS1) ;
• in Brest : in the Aquaculture Experimental Hall (BREST1) ;
• in Brest : in Pier Aquaculture Facility (BREST2) ;

This access will be provided free of all charge to the user groups given access to the infrastructure under ASEFAF contract and will include all infrastructural, logistical, technical and scientific support (including training courses if necessary) that is normally provided to external users of the infrastructure.

For more details on this project, please visit the general information section of the ASEFAF website.