Invertebrate production for sustainable aquaculture feeds

Invertebrateproductionforsustainableaquaculturefeeds:

aJointRoadmap-Summary-

ThisprojecthasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion’sundergrantagreementNo.:EASME/EMFF/2016/1.2.1.3/02/SI2.751532.

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ThisprojecthasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnionunderGrantAgreementNo.EASME/EMFF/2016/1.2.1.3/02/SI2.751532.

TableofContentsIntroduction 3Buildingaframeworkformoresustainableaquaculture 3

Theneedforalternativefeeds 4Insectsandmarineinvertebrates 4Legislationandauthorisationprocesses 5AquacultureinEUAtlanticregions 6Public-privatecooperation 7INvertebrateITEUProject 8

JointVision 9Contextanalysis 9Gaps,challengesandresearchneeds 10Objectivesandmilestones 13Obstaclesandbottlenecks 13Stakeholders 15

ARoadmapfortheEUAtlantic 17Overallstrategyandexpectedresults 17Priorityactions 17

Investmentplan 18Analysisoffundingopportunities 19

Conclusions 23

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IntroductionAquacultureisexpectedtosupplyover60%offishby2030,andevery1%growthinEUaquaculturedelivers3000-4000jobsinSMEs1.Contraryto6.1%yearlyaveragegrowthworldwide2,anddespiteitspotential,EUaquacultureisstagnant.Amidstotherchallenges,growingcostandvolatilityoffishfeedsstandasprimaryobstacles.Insectproteincanreplaceupto100%ofproteinsinsalmondiets3,andmarineinvertebratesareanimportantfractionofthenaturaldietoffarmedfish.Invertebrate-basedfeeds,ontheotherhand,candrastically reduce the environmental impact of current sources, notably wild fisheries and somevegetalalternatives.

Withtheglobal fish feedmarketexpectedtoreach$129billionby2019 (from$75b in20164),andpricesoffishmealexpectedtoriseby90%5,thefishfeedindustryisprimedforamajordisruption6whichtheEUmusttackle.Thesemarkettrends,andestimationssuchthatreplacingjust5%offeedsforbroilersintheNetherlandswouldallow200newSMEstomakeprofitablebusiness7,pointtowardsthepotentialofinvertebrate-basedfishfeedstogeneratejobsandboostEUaquaculture,especiallyinAtlanticregionswereaquacultureismostimportant.

Thiscouldalsohelptovaloriseandrecycleusablewaste,toreduceemissions,andtoexploreawidearrayofsynergiesinequallydisruptivesubsectorsoftheagro-food,bioeconomy8andblueeconomyindustries.ThisRoadmapisaneffortbytheINvertebrateITprojectconsortiumtofostertheuseofinvertebrates for sustainable aquaculture in the EU Atlantic regions, and to validate challenges,objectivesandstrategieswithstakeholders,whowereconsultedduringdrafting.

BuildingaframeworkformoresustainableaquacultureAquaculture is representative of the larger scale global transition towards more integrated andsustainablemodels.Thechallengeimplieschangingmindsetsallthroughproductiontoconsumption,from policy to investment, and from the high technology edge down to territorial planning.Consideringrisingfooddemandatgloballevel,theimportanceofseafoodforalargepartoftheworldpopulation,thelimitsofwildfisheriesandthealarminghumanimpactonthemarineenvironment,aquacultureisapivotalsectorforfuturefoodsecurityandsustainability.

Feed quality, cost and availability are some of the limiting factors currently affecting growth andcompetitivenessofaquacultureintheEU.Inparallel,aquacultureneedsstrongersupportfromcoastal

1StrategicGuidelinesforthesustainabledevelopmentofEUaquaculture.COM(2013)229final2http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf3FederationofEuropeanAquacultureProducers,AnnualReport20154Whattofeedfish?Demandforfeedattractsinnovatorsandinvestors.ImpactAlpha.Investmentnewsforasustainableage.21/10/20165Fishto2030.Prospectsforfisheriesandaquaculture.WorldBankReportNo.83177-GLB6Fish2.0MarketReport:FishFeed.AnInvestorUpdateonSustainableSeafood.Fish2.0.MantaConsulting20157http://www.protix.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/20141029_Why-are-insects-not-allowed-in-animal-feed_Whitepaper_Insect_meal.pdf8http://www.bioeconomyutrecht2016.eu/Static/bioeconomyutrecht2016.eu/Site/Manifest_revisie_13_juni.pdf

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administrations and consumers. More awareness and integration are fundamental to create theopportunitiessmallSMEsneedtodeliversustainableproductsandjobsatlocallevel.

Figure1Increasingfishmealmarketprices(leftaxis)andglobalaquacultureproduction.AdaptedusingdatafromTaconandMetian,20089andUN-FAO,2014

TheneedforalternativefeedsTheaquaculturefeedindustryisahighlycommoditisedsectorurgentlyrequiringlargequantitiesofalternativeandhighqualityfeedingredients,whichhasledtomajoreffortstodevelopreliableandcompetitive sources, among which are cereals and pulses, micro and macro algae, yeasts,microorganismsandinvertebrates.

Mirroringworldleadingindustrialplayers,theFederationofEuropeanAquacultureProducers(FEAP)andtheEuropeanFeedManufacturers’Federation(FEFAC)welcomedtheauthorisationofalternativeanimal(insect)proteinsforaquafeeds,inparticularbecausefishrequirealargeproportionofhighlydigestibleproteinsandPUFA.Inthelongterm,theinclusionofinsectmealcouldproveinstrumentalforthesustainabledevelopmentofEUaquaculture10.

InsectsandmarineinvertebratesThere is growingagreement about invertebrates standingasoneof themostpromising industrialsolutions.This is intunewithnaturaltrophicwebs,andcompatiblewithotheralternativesources.Insectsandinvertebrateshaveveryhighconversionfactorsandproductivity,fastlifecyclesandcangrowonawidevarietyofavailablesubstrates,yieldinghighqualityandreadilyassimilatedproteinsandHUFA,aswellasvitaminsandfunctionalcompounds.Marketopportunitiesforaquacultureareincreasedbyparalleldemandfromthefarm(poultry,porcine)andpet(e.g.aquariums,birds)sectors.

9A.TaconandM.Metian,2008.“Globaloverviewontheuseoffishmealandfishoilinindustriallycompoundedaquafeeds:trendsandfutureprospects”.AquacultureVol.285(1-4)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2008.08.01510http://www.fefac.eu/news.aspx?CategoryID=2063&EntryID=23797

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Figure2Rangeofapplicationsofinvertebratesforaquaculturefeedsandotherproducts.

According to the International Feed Industry Federation, insects are underused. A review by FAOscientists of feeding trials - concluded that insectmeal could replace between 25% and 100% ofsoymeal or fishmeal. Introducing up to 20% of insect meal into fish feed would mean a marketpotentialofalmost1milliontonnesintheaquaculturesectoralreadyby2020.Additionaltofoodandfeed, invertebrates are interesting for other compounds (e.g. antimicrobials), sectors (e.g.biotechnology,agriculture)andservices(e.g.pestcontrol,bioremediation),soclusteringandadvanceinanyonesub-sectormayserveastractionfortheothers.AreportpublishedbytheDutchBankABNAmro stated that “European feed markets for aquaculture are very promising (…). Volumes willincreaseandpricesdeclineinthecaseoffurtherupscaling,mechanizationandautomation.Thiswillenhancethecompetitiveedge(…)andimproveeconomicperspectivesinthelongrun”.Marineinvertebrates,ontheotherhand,arealreadyanintegralpartofaquaculture,farlargerthoughlessvisiblethantheinsectsector.Thisincludesinvertebratesforfood(e.g.bivalves,shrimp),feed(e.g.copepods,Artemia,rotifers)andbait(e.g.polychaetes).Zooplanktonproductioniscriticalforlarvalfeeding inmosthatcheries,andareatopvaluecommercialproduct in live,frozenanddriedform.Marine invertebrates areextremelydiverse, and suitable for industrial exploitation inmanyways,including intensive and extensive systems. While planktonic forms relate more to microalgalproduction,insect-productiontechnologymaybereadilytransferredtosuitablebenthicspecies,suchasamphipodsandpolychaetes.Finally,both(invertebrate)biofoulingofmarineinfrastructures(inc.aquaculture),aswellaswasteanddiscards frombivalvemariculturecouldbeconsidered for feedproduction.

LegislationandauthorisationprocessesRespondingtotheseandglobaltrends,UN-FAOrecommendationsandtheindustry’splea,processedproteinsderivedfrominsectsareauthorisedinfeedforfarmedfishintheEUasfrom1July201711,

11Regulation(EU)2017/893

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thoughonlysevenspecies12arecurrentlyallowed,andshouldbefedwith‘feedgrade’substrates(i.e.vegetaloriginmaterialsorwithalimitednumberofanimaloriginmaterials,includingfishmeal,bloodproductsfromnon-ruminants,eggandeggsproducts,milkandmilkbasedproducts,honey,renderedfats). On the other hand,marine invertebrates are traditional food and feed in the EU and don’trequirespecificornewlegislationbeyondoverarchingsafetyandsecurityregulationsappliedtothehumanfoodchain.Newlegislationcontributeswithnecessarysecurityforoperatorsandinvestorstostartmaterialisingadvanceintomarketedproductsandindustrialup-scaling,whicharenecessarytodecreasecostsandrisksforsmallerSMEstoengageandforpublicadministrationstoconsiderexplicitandstablesupport.Notwithstandinglegislation,therearethreeimportantconsiderationsworthmentioning.First,evenifallowed,theprocessofobtainingallnecessarypermitstocommercialiseinsect-derivedproductsislengthyandcomplex,andthisshouldbeforeseeninallbusinessplans.Second,largeaquacultureorretailindustriesdemandconstantandsafesupplyofverylargequantitiesofproduce,sospecialisingbeyondmerebulkandcostmaysuitcertainSMEsbetter,especiallywhenconsideringinternationalcompetition. Last, and in relation to this and the fact that consumer expectations and safetyregulationswillmore probably increase rather than decrease, some producers can consider non-marketvalues,sustainabilityandaddedvalueas long-termcompetitiveassets. Inordertosupportthis,PPPsorsmartprocurementstandassuitablestrategies, inparallel to jointefforts to improveawareness.

AquacultureinEUAtlanticregionsMorethanhalfofthetotalEUaquaculturebyvolumeandvalueisproducedinthe5Atlanticcountries,coveringinlandandmarinefarmingofsalmonandtrout,seabassandgiltheadseabream,sole,turbot,otherfishspeciesandclams,oysters,mussels,cocklesinawidediversityofconditions.Inallcountries,activityisgreatestinlessconnectedregions,inwhichthesectorisstrategicandwitnessessignificanteffortsforinnovationanddiversification.AquacultureisthereforeadriverfordevelopmentandBlueGrowthspecialisation,especiallyinremoteandruralregionsdependentonmarineresources,includingislands.

Table1ProductionstatisticsofEUAtlanticcountries.Sourcehttps://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/aquaculture/multiannual-national-plans_en

Data: 2013 Total Volume Total Value Share of EU total

Tonnes € Million % Volume % Value

UK 203,260 896.7 16.8 22.3

Ireland 34,200 114.2 2.8 2.8

Portugal 7,870 53.8 0.7 1.2

France 200,332 693.1 16.5 17.0

Spain 262,222 429.4 18.7 10.7

12CommonHousefly(Muscadomestica),BlackSoldierFly(Hermetiaillucens),YellowMealworm(Tenebriomolitor),LesserMealworm(Alphitobiusdiaperinus),HouseCricket(Achetadomesticus),FieldCricket(Grylluscampestris)andBandedCricket(Gryllodessigillatus).

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Total 754,494 2297.3 55.5 54.0

Public-privatecooperationFollowingtheissuesandperspectivedevelopedintheprevioussections,public-privatepartnerships(PPP)seemappropriatetoolstoguideamarket-driventransformationalongthestrategicaxesmostbeneficialforthecommunityandtheenvironmentineachofthetargetregions,aswellastodrivecooperationandclusteringatmacro-regionallevel.Ontheonehand,opportunitiesareeconomicallysoundandstakeholdersready,ontheother,disruptionsareriskyintheshorttermandtransversalbenefitsaddcomplexitybutnodirectreturn.

Figure3Circulareconomy.Wastecanbecollectedforbioconversionbyinvertebratesallalongthepre-salesindustrialchain.

Marketingnovelinvertebrateresourcesformoresustainableaquaculture,especiallywhenconnectedto integratedwastemanagement and favouring employment is a case study for PPPs: facilitatingleadershipinreturnofpositiveexternalities.Whileitisanaccessiblemomenttoengage,innovationistechnicallyandfinanciallychallenging.Competitiontosupplysuchstrategicmarketgapprovokesasimilar competition for visibility and funding to develop andmarket viable alternatives. However,considering the ingredient-based nature of feed formulation, the scope for synergies in moreintegrated production and provision systems, the diversity of farmed species and life-stagerequirements,andthesheervolumeofthegrowingmarket,shouldinduceatleastsomestakeholdersto favour cooperation and indirect added value. Indeed, a diverse and adaptable range of feedalternatives seems necessary to ensure accessibility, competitiveness, resilience... and consumersupport.Under that light, and consideringdifferent sensitivities towardsenvironmental and social

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challenges,publicadministrationsare inagoodpositiontoparticipate inawiderangeofformstopromote sustainable, integrated and inclusive growth linked to aquaculture (feeds) as part of thelargerBlueGrowth,CircularEconomyandRIS3policy.

INvertebrateITEUProjectWithavailabletechnology,identifiedmarketgaps,explicitinterestfromstakeholders,andenablingnewlegislation,nowisthetimetowideneffortstoseizeopportunitiesandtointegratesmartpolicywithinprofitablebusinessmodels,helpingaquaculturegrowandpavingthewayformorecirculareconomyandsustainableindustrialleadership.

Figure4DiagramofgeneralandspecificobjectivespursuedbyINvertebrateITEUProject.

INvertebrateIT aims to build on previous and parallel efforts, building capacity and facilitatingcooperation.INvertebrateITfocusesonaquaculture,becauseitisfundamentalforfoodsecurityandsustainableresourcemanagement;SMEs,becausetheydriveinnovationandcreatejobs;EUAtlanticregions, because they have the largest potential for aquaculture growth; and public-privatepartnerships,becausetheyareusefulstrategictoolstomaximisebenefitsandsharerisks.

INvertebrateITunitesanaquaculturecluster,anationalandregionalmaritimeclusters,anationalagencyandmarineresearchcentreandthreeSMEs,expertsininvertebrateproduction,knowledgetransfer,innovationandentrepreneurship.

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Figure5INvertebrateITprojectpartners

INvertebrateITaimstoimplementthreecommercialprojectsledbySMEsthroughregionalPPPs.Forthese and other efforts from partners and stakeholders to continue along the core principles ofINvertebrateITaMemorandumofUnderstandingandaSustainabilityCommitteeareforeseenleadingtoa“virtualclusterofexcellence”.

JointVision“Disruptiveandforward-lookingopportunitiesforcompetitiveandsustainableaquaculture”Aquacultureisanecessarypartofthequestforsolutionsforsustainablegrowth,foodsecurityandenvironmental stewardship.Thisappliesatglobal level,and isparticularlypromising foracrossEUAtlanticregions,aspartofBlueGrowthandRIS3policy.However,EUaquaculture,despiteitsqualityandenvironmentalstandards,isstagnant.Oneofthemainchallengesistherisingcostandvolatilityoffishfeeds,whichsignificantlyreducesthecompetitivenessandresilienceofventures,mainlyledbySMEs.Ontheotherhand,aquaculturehasthepotentialtoprovidemanyjobsintheregion,includinginruralandremoteareas,whichisaspecificneedoftheEUAtlanticBasinregions.

Invertebrates,suchasinsects,havebeenhighlightedbytoplevelinstitutionsasamostpromisingandnecessarypartoffoodproductionchains,thankstotheirhighconversionfactors,lesserenvironmentalimpactanduniqueassets fordevelopment ledbySMEs.Thisoffersopportunities forcross-cuttinginnovation,especiallyasregardsaCircularEconomyandoverallBlueGrowth.

Thefollowingisalistofindentifiedfactorsthatnewandenhancedvalorisationofinvertebrateresourcesforaquaculture,whichwillbeevaluated,enrichedandrankedduringtheINvertebrateITproject.

Contextanalysis● NewEUlegislationencompassestheuseofinsectproteininaquaculturefeeds● Invertebrateproductionforaquaculturefeedscanbeindustriallyconnectedtobetterwaste

management,naturalresourcediversificationandenvironmentalservices.

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Strengths Weaknesses - Invertebrates are the natural diet of farmed fish,

especially for sub-adult forms - Invertebrates require less space, water, inputs and

capital than other protein sources - Regions in the EU Atlantic produce over 50% of EU

total aquaculture in both volume and value - technology for industrial production of insects is well

developed - Marine invertebrates are already an important part of the

aquaculture sector - There’s a global and growing market demand for novel

feed ingredients - All target regions identify marine resources as a priority

for specialisation

- Support from producers and consumers is low - Production levels are too low - Knowledge and awareness are low - Only a few planktonic marine species are currently

produced - Invertebrate-based products are currently too expensive

for mainstream industry - Insects are not yet covered by organic production

standards - Research and pre-commercial development are lengthy,

uncertain and expensive processes

Opportunities Threats - Growing international market for invertebrate products - New legislation allows the use of insect protein and oils

for aquaculture feeds - Diversification and innovation in products and services

are currently accessible - Great scope for synergic horizontal and vertical

integration - Invertebrates are very efficient bio-convertors of waste - All regions need to invest in a circular economy,

reducing impact and improving waste management - There are good prospects for cooperation from the local

to the macro-regional level - Advance in any related field related to bio-economy

strengthens the others

- it may be cheaper and easier to produce in non-EU countries

- previous scandals and unethical practices may drive consumers not to favour aquaculture

- recycling waste may cause health and security concerns - artificial selection of invertebrate species may affect

natural populations

Gaps,challengesandresearchneeds

Figure6Mapofissuesrequiringattentionfortheexploitationofinvertebrate-basedaquaculturefeeds

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Inthissectionwereviewthemaingaps,challengesandresearchneedsasperceivedbyINvertebrateITconsortiumpartnersandconsultedstakeholders.Gapsaredefinedasvoidsinsocial,marketandpolicylandscapes that are perceived to be accessible for action, but not necessarily urgent nor critical.Challenges are necessary transitions for which no clear or certain methodology is known, andthereforeprovedifficultorrisky.Researchneedsareinstrumentalandwellidentifiedknowledgeandtechnologyshortages.

Perceptionscoverthreeseparateissuesatonce:

- asregardstheproductionofinsectsforaquaculturefeedsandtheiruptakebyindustry- asregardstheproductionofmarineinvertebratesforaquaculturefeedsandtheiruptakeby

industry- as regards public –private cooperation to promote the production of invertebrates for

aquaculturefeedsandcomplementaryservicesintheEUAtlantic

Gapsandchallenges

Collective ranking Issue

Stakeholder agreement

1 New sources of protein need to be developed for a sustainable aquaculture

%

2 Innovation often requires IP protection more akin to high-end products, but not to bulk feed ingredients

%

3 National policies do not include invertebrate protein as a target ingredient for fish feed

%

4 Integrated systems at local to regional scale are scarce %

5 Aquaculture producers need to understand the benefits of protein from invertebrates as an alternative to fish meal

%

6 Reluctance of market to incorporate non-traditional raw materials in the nutritional chain

%

7 Transposition of EU legislation on the use of insects in aquaculture feed into national law without addition of unreasonable restrictions

%

8 New feed ingredients need ensure enough quantity and quality to be used in aquaculture

%

9 Alternative models beyond mere bulk and cost are needed %

10 Seed investment is needed for small SMEs, smart procurement and replication projects

%

11 Organic standards need to be defined for invertebrate production %

12 Aquaculture needs to be better integrated in regional and societal models

%

13 More consumer and industrial support is needed %

14 Suitable waste needs to be defined and rendered available %

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Figure7Identificationofsuitablewaste,whichcanoriginateinagriculture,fisheries,forestry,processingandmanufacturingorretail.

Researchneeds

The following listshavebeenelaborated throughdesk researchand interviewswith stakeholders.Theyoffermaterialsfordebatewithstakeholders,andwillbediscussedandrankedduringtheproject.

1 Processing of invertebrates for aquafeeds faces several technical hurdles like blackening (enzymatic browning, such as PPO oxidation)

%

2 Marine invertebrates, both micro (e.g. copepods for larval stages) and macro (e.g. amphipods and annelids replacing insects in marine food chains)

%

3 Processing, including suitability of live feeding certain species for enrichment and enhancement at critical phases

%

4 Affordable and quality substrates %

5 Selection and improvement %

6 Feed production and formulation, from nutritional balance to palatability %

7 Acceptance: market and opinion studies including producers, retailer and consumers

%

8 Potential impact of novel fisheries (e.g. Krill and copepods) on the marine environment

%

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9 Optimisation and small volume techniques need to be developed for remote regions

%

10 Mobile marine production plants to cater offshore industry %

11 Reusability of biofouling organisms in aquaculture and infrastructures ObjectivesandmilestonesObjectivesarehereconsideredasspecificresultsthatarenecessaryandcurrentlyapriority.Milestonesareamoregeneralbutconditionalachievements,allowingforsuccessiveplanningphases.

Mainobjectivesandmilestones

1 Demonstrate commercially viable SME ventures %

2 Set up PPPs to promote invertebrate production in EU Atlantic regions %

3 Increase awareness fro SMEs, investors, administrations and consumers %

4 Up-scale production %

5 Diversify species (marine) and products %

6 Promote regional cooperation and clustering %

7 Improve breeds: development and growth, environmental requirements, nutritional profile

%

8 Improve products: nutritional balance, palatability… %

9 Targeted communication campaigns %

10 Smart public procurement schemes for remote regions %

ObstaclesandbottlenecksMainobstaclesandbottlenecks

1 Research is a major obstacle as trials within research institutions are too costly

%

2 Grant aid for this type of research is not sufficient %

3 End users should put more demands on the fish feed producer to use invertebrate protein

%

4 There should be specific grants for innovation separate from start-up grants

%

5 Sustainable feed is a bottleneck for sustainable aquaculture production %

6 In Spain, fish farms producers are not in favour of including insect protein in fish feeds

%

7 Affordable, stable and quality substrates for insect production %

8 The cost of organic by-products and waste %

9 The quality of organic by-products waste %

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10 Approval of organic by-products waste types that can be used %

11 The cost of patents is prohibitive for start-up businesses %

12

Patents do not protect IP as all information is made publically available which hinders the advancement of the industry as companies are not willing to get patents and hence are not seen by large investors as bone fide ventures

%

13 The requirement for a licence to handle waste %

14 The cost and quality of waste %

15 Approval of waste types that can be used %

16 Consumer preconceptions %

17 Traceability %

18 Competition with Asian and north American industries %

19 Toxicity of insects through bioaccumulation %

20 deficiencies in amino acids or fatty acids, chitin content, palatability, digestibility

%

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StakeholdersPrimary(target),secondary(context)andkeystakeholders(instrumental)needtobemappedand

consultedfromthelocaltotheinternationallevel.

Figure8Stakeholdersassessment:CapacityVsSupport

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Figure9Stakeholdersassessment:InfluenceVsRelevance

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ARoadmapfortheEUAtlantic

Figure10ModelstrategyfortheachievementofthepartialandendresultspromotedbyINvertebrateIT

OverallstrategyandexpectedresultsHavingcompiledaninitiallistofobjectives,consultingwithstakeholderswillallowtoamendandrankthefollowinglists.

Priorityactions

● Enhanceawarenessofthepotentialofthisindustryapproachbothfoodfishfeeddevelopmentandalsowastemanagement

● Raisethelevelofengagementofstakeholdertopromotethisindustry● Influencepolicyandlegislation,nationalandEU● Createnewopportunitiesfortechnologyadvancement● Developnetworkstopromotetheprogressofthisindustry● Harnessandusewasteeffectively,efficientlyandsafelyinthefoodchain

Expectedresults

Themainresultsandspecificachievementsexpectedfromtheprojectare:

● Increasedawareness● Criticalmassandvisibility● Collaborationacrosssectorsandborders● Mappingoffundingopportunities● Long-termstrategicpartnership● Capacitybuildingofthreedemonstrationprojects● PPPsforpilotprojectimplementation

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Investmentplan

Formillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld,fisheriesandaquacultureremainavitalresourceforfood,nutrition,employmentandincome.Severalreportshaverecentlybeenpublishedby internationalorganizations,expertsorcompanies,andallpointtotheconsiderablecontributionthatoceansandinlandwaterscanandespeciallywill in the futurebring to foodsecurityandnutrition foraglobalpopulationexpectedtoreach9.7billionby2050.Inordertomeetthischallenge,theinternationalcommunitymadecommitmentsinSeptember2015byadoptingthe2030programwith17objectivesofsustainabledevelopment.SDGObjective#14islinkedtooceans:conserveandsustainablyexploitoceans,seasandmarineresourcesforsustainabledevelopment.TheFAOlaunchedin2013itsinitiative“BlueGrowth”.Withit,FAOwillhelpcountriestodevelopandenforce programs for Blue Growth and Blue Economy. The “Blue Economy” concept focuses onconservation and sustainable management. It is based on the principle that healthy aquaticecosystemsaremoreproductiveandareessentialforsustainableeconomies.InEurope,thesameobservationismade:aquacultureisamajorstakeforfoodandenvironmentalchallenges of the twenty-first century. Since 2009 the European Commission has declared itswillingness to givenew impetus toEuropeanaquaculture13.With its financial instruments, theEUsupportsResearchandDevelopmentforaquaculturetobecomeahigh-performance,moreefficient,moreintegrated,moresustainable,andthereforelessresource-consumingsector.DespiteitseffortsEuropean aquaculture does not progress well compared to its potential, partly because ofinternationalcompetitiveness(e.g.Chinaproduces60%ofglobalvolumes,theEUjust4%).TheEUmust thus leverage excellence. The EU aquaculture sector represents today 85,000 direct jobsinvolving 14,000 enterprises (Small and Medium Enterprises for the majority), and with moreinnovativeprojectsthousandsofnewemploymentsarepossible.

ForfutureEUaquaculturegrowthandcompetiveness,onekeyissuearefishfeeds.TodaythedietofthemainspeciesfarmedinEuropestillreliesheavilyonfishmealandfishoilfromindustrialfisheries.However,dependenceontheseingredients,whoseproductionislimitedandpricespulledupbyrisingdemand, can compromise economic and environmental viability for SMEs. In order to secure thefutureandenablethedevelopmentofaquacultureinEurope,anumberofaccompanyingmeasuresareneeded.Tosupporttheseinitiatives,itisinterestingtoidentifythemeansthatsupportchangesandinnovationinthisfield.TheassociatedpartnersoftheINvertebrateITprojectcollecteddataaboutpublicandprivatefundsintheirrespectivecountries.Afocushasbeenmadeonprogramslinkedtoaquacultureandtocirculareconomy.

13CommunicationfromtheCommissiontotheEuropeanParliamentandtheCouncil-Buildingasustainablefutureforaquaculture-AnewimpetusfortheStrategyfortheSustainableDevelopmentofEuropeanAquaculture{SEC(2009)453}{SEC(2009)454}/*COM/2009/0162final*/ http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52009DC0162.

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AquacultureintheEuropeanUnion,andmoreparticularlyintheAtlanticbasin,benefitsfromidealenvironmentalconditionsandalargenumberofstakeholders(producers,researchcentres)alongthewholevaluechain.Thesecountriesalsobenefitfromspecialisedresearch(universities,technologicalhubs…).Theterritoriesareawareofthenecessityforsustainableexploitationofmarineresourceandallvaluablebiomass,andthereforeincludeBlueGrowth,Agri-Foodandthecirculareconomyintheirregionalstrategies.

Therearegreatopportunitiestoinnovateinthedomain,amongthemthetheproductionanduseofinsectsforfishfeeding(newEUlegislationJuly,2017),andtheexploitationofmarineinvertebratesandmicroandmacroalgae(largenumberofprojectatEU-level).Severalfirmshavebeencreatedatinternationallevelandofferfoodbasedonproteinsandoilsfrominsectstofeedfish,mainlyinFrance(more than 10 firms), but also in Spain and in theNetherlands. The production ofmarinemicro-invertebrates(rotifers,copepods)forhatcheriesandyoungfishisalsocritical,andthereisimportantresearchwithothermarinegroupssuchaswormsandbivalves.

A dedicatedpublic programmeaquaculture (and fisheries) activities already exists: theEuropeanMaritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The allocated budgets are differently distributed betweenEuropeancountries.Spainisthemainbeneficiary(€205millionforaquaculture).

Privatefundsarebecomingmoreimportantbutremaindifficulttoaccess,regardingotherattractivedomainsandlackofcompetitivenessforaquacultureactivities.Inanycase,directinterestbothfromimpactandrevenueinvestmentfundsisgrowing,includingparticularattentiontoinvertebrate-basedsolutionsforaquaculture,butalsoforbiotechnology,pharma,cosmeticsandservicessuchasreducingtheneedforantibiotics.

Ontheotherhandthere isa largerangeofother financingprogrammes inEurope(Horizon2020,Interreg, Eurostars, and Bio Based Industry Joint Undertaking) which deal with several generalthemeslikeinnovation,environmentresourcesefficiency,biodiversity.However,differentstrategicpolicyandroadmapsmakefundingtrendsdifferacrosscountries.

Opportunitiesexist:newinterestsinhealthyfoodandfeed,awarenessandopportunitiesinnewbio-resources for proteins/lipids … (microalgaes, insects …), environmental issues (good sentinel),digitalization,betterexploitationandmoreadded-value.

Butthreatsremain:environmentalandhealthpressures(Natura2000),risksofdiseases(parasites),socialacceptanceregardingnewplanificationforaquaculture,consumersupporttofishfedwithinsects,administrativedelaysforplansandfinancing.

AnalysisoffundingopportunitiesTheINvertebrateITconsortiumhascarriedoutadetailedmappingofavailablepublicandprivatefundsat national and regional level. The following is a summary of European funds,manyofwhich aremanagedatnationallevelunderdifferentmechanisms.

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·EMFF14

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is the biggest funddedicatedtofishingandaquacultureandthis isthededicatedtoolfortheEUcommissionregardingtheimplementationoftheFishingandAquaculturepolicy.Eachcountryhastoimplementadedicatedmanagingandfollow-upstrategyoftheallocations.

Sustainableaquacultureisthesecondpriority(21%ofthefund)tomakethesectormoresuccessfulandcompetitivebyfocusingonquality,healthandsafety,aswellaseco-friendlyproduction;andtoprovideconsumerswithhigh-quality,highlynutritionalandtrustworthyproducts.Thetotalbudgetofthefundis€8.6billion(EuropeanUnion+National)includingEuros6.4billionbyEuropeanUnioncontribution.ThisEuropeancontributionallocatedintotalfrom2014-2020isdistributedbetween:

- 11%managedbytheEUtosupportEU-wideobjectivesinmaritimeandcoastalaffairs:internationalgovernance,cooperationthroughexchangeofinformationandbestpractices,publicinformationandsupporttonetworkingplatforms,marineknowledge,maritimespatialplanning;

- 89%managedbythememberstates,dividedamongstEUcountries,thefundareusedfor:reducingimpactoffishingonthemarineenvironment,moremarkettoolsforprofessionalsandconsumers,jointstewardshipofprotectedareasandNatura2000sites,specialsupporttosmall-scalefisherman.

Therepartitionis:4.3billion€forsustainablefisheries,580million€forcontrolandenforcement,520million€forDataCollectionand€71millionforBlueEconomy.Thebeneficiariesare:Fisheriesandaquacultureoperators,professionalorganization,FisheryLocalActionGroup(FLAGs),Scientific/technicalPublicLawBodies,AdvisoryCouncils,andNGOsinpartnershipwithfishermenorFLAGs,SME.

· Horizon202015

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovationprogrameverwithnearly€80billionoffundingavailableover7years(2014to2020)–inadditiontotheprivateinvestmentthatthismoneywillattract.Itpromisesmorebreakthroughs,discoveriesandworld-firstsbytakinggreatideasfromthelabtothemarket,withemphasisonexcellentscience,industrialleadership and tackling societal challenges, for public and private sectors to work together in

14https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/emff_en15https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/

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deliveringinnovation.Horizon2020isopentoallorganisations.Threetypesofprojectsareeligible:ResearchandInnovationAction(RIA),InnovationAction(IA),CooperationandSupportAction(CSA).

·ERDFInterreg

European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), better known asInterreg,isoneofthetwogoalsofcohesionpolicyandprovidesaframeworkfortheimplementationofjointactionsandpolicyexchanges between national, regional and local actors from different member states. The fifthprogrammingperiodof Interreg (2014-2020)hasabudgetof€10.1billion. INTERREGprogram isstronglylinkedtoterritorialissues.

- Interreg Atlantic Area program16 supports transnationalcooperation projects, contributing to the achievement ofeconomic, social and territorial cohesion of 37 Atlanticregions from five countries: the western part UK, thenorthernandsouthernwesternmostpartofSpain,westernFrance,IrelandandPortugal.Thetotalbudgetforthisprogramis€185million.Projectsaresupportedupto75%ERDF.Forthefirst timeand the first call launchedend2016, thisprogramhasbeenalsoopened toprivateactors.Fourprioritiesaretargeted:Innovationandcompetitiveness,Resourceefficiency,Risksofnaturalclimateandhumanorigin,biodiversity,naturalandculturalassets.

- InterregNorth-WestEuropeprogram17hastheambitiontomaketheNorth-WestEuropeareaaplacewithhighlevelsofinnovation, sustainability and cohesion. The total budget is€370millionforactivitiesbasedineightcountries:Belgium,France,Germany,Ireland,Luxembourg,theNetherlands,SwitzerlandandtheUnitedKingdom.Projectsaresupportedupto60%ERDF.Theprioritiesselectedforthe2014-2020periodmainlyaddresssmartandsustainablegrowth:Innovation:Helpingenterprisesinnovate;Lowcarbon:Supporting the shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors and promoting sustainabletransport ; Resource & materials efficiency: New ways to produce more value with fewermaterials.Anyorganisation,publicorprivate,canparticipate.

- Interreg SUDOE: supports regional development in the South-western part of Europe. Itpromotes transnational cooperation to respond common issues, such as low investment inresearchanddevelopment,weakcompetitivenessofthesmallandmedium-sizedenterprisesandexposure to climate change and environmental risks. Total budget is 141million euros. Theprojects approved are based on public and/or private partnerships along five priority axis,identifiedastheareasonwhichtransnationalcooperationhasstrongestimpactinthecontextofSouthwestEurope:Researchand innovation,CompetitivenessofSMEs,Low-carboneconomy,

16http://www.atlanticarea.eu/17http://www.nweurope.eu/

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Combatingclimatechange,Environmentandresourceefficiency.Allpartnerscanbesupportedupto75%ERDFoftheeligibleexpenses.

- OthercrossborderINTERREGprogrammescanbeavailable,as for

example the Channel program (France-England) enabling thenorthernwesternpartof France to collaboratewithSouthernEngland.2typesoftoolsareavailable:largeprojects(ERDF69%) andmicro-projectsdedicatedtoSMEsandassociations(ERDF80%)

·Eurostars

Eurostars is a joint program between EUREKA and the EuropeanCommission supported by 36 countries. It is open to all SMEs,regardless of branch of industry, sector or technology area. TheobjectiveoftheEurostarsprojectmustbetodevelopanewproduct,process or service. This tool is transversal but addresses RTDperformingSMEs(definition:atleast10%oftheturnoverisdedicated toR&D).TheprojecthastobeledbyanSME.

· BioBasedIndustryJointUndertaking(orBBIJU)18

TheBBIJU isapublic-privatepartnershipbetweentheEuropeanUnion and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC). BIC is anassociation established in 2012 to represent the private sectorpartners in the Joint Undertaking. It is host to a unique mix ofsectors that currently include agriculture, agro-food, technologyproviders, forestry pulp and paper, chemicals, energy and end-users. The total budget is€3.7 billion investments in bio-based innovation from2014-2020: €975million of EU funds (Horizon 2020) and €2.7 billion of private investments.

18https://www.bbi-europe.eu/

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ConclusionsAquacultureiscalledtosupplyanincreasingworldpopulationwithfood,andtodosoensuringqualityandsustainableproducts,contributingtomanagemarineresourcewisely.

Invertebratesarepartofthenaturaldietoffish,speciallyinlarvalstages,supplyingessentialnutrients.Invertebrates,bothinsectsandincresinglymarinespecies,canbeproducedinaveryefficientway,withthepotentialofhelpingtomanagewastefromaquaculturefarmsandotherorganicresidue.

Newtechnologyandadaptinglegislationnowallowtomassproduceinvertebrates,bothinindustrialand semi-traditional ways, and to process them into nutritive, reliable, durable and cost-efficientalternatives.

Invertebratescanbeusedtocomplement,reduceorreplacefishfeedingredients,inlinewithotherpromising sources such as algae and yeasts. These sustainable sources are called to reduce theimportanceofwildfishmealandvegetalsourceslikesoja,andtheirpotentialisuntapped.

Moreawareness isneeded toengage stakeholders (resarch,aquaculture, investment...) aswell asconsumers,inordertofostermoreresearch,newventuresandsuccessfulmarketapplications.

Todothat,bothpublicandprivatefundingisneeded,aswellasincreasedcollaborationacrosssectorsandregions.

The INvertebrateITproject seeks tocontributealong thisprocessandwill integrateall resultsandstakeholderinputsin2019.

Documents

Invertebrate production for sustainable aquaculture feeds