Linking research and innovation in aquatic ecology and genomics to business and resource management in the Kattegat-Skagerrak region (MarGen II) (39650)

There is a large potential for growth in the blue bioeconomy sector in the Kattegat-Skagerrak region. A strong knowledge base, collaboration between countries and scientific disciplines as well as close links between research and business communities is required to fully utilize this potential. Consequently, we want to link excellence in research and innovation within aquatic ecology and genomics to business and resource management in the region in order to facilitate sustainable growth through a strong scientific knowledge base.

The project exploits synergies arising through collaboration across borders and scientific disciplines to attain a critical mass within research as well as added value across borders to work towards the creation of common solutions to transboundary challenges. We address specific objectives related to the employment of more researchers in the region in order to increase the capacity in research and innovation environments within the blue bioeconomy.

We will address a number of challenges experienced by the business community associated with blue bioeconomy in the region, including improved rearing procedures for fish and shellfish, mapping of new resources with potential for rearing and breeding, improved resource base for recreational and professional fisheries and investigating the interaction between wild and farmed populations. We wish to link the project results in research and innovation to business communities to ensure an efficient knowledge transfer, but we also want the business communities and other stakeholders, such as resource management, to provide input on research priorities to the project. Consequently, the participating institutions have strong links to business communities and management, and close dialogue with the business community has a high priority in the project.

In addition to addressing known needs from the business community, we want to exploit new developments within genome research, tagging technology, the development within biological markers for important life history traits and oceanographic modelling. They provide us with unique opportunities to describe the biodiversity in the region and to attain a better understanding of the external factors which may affect biodiversity in time and space, for example through changes in the distribution or migration patterns following impacts from climate change or fishing. It will only be possible to attain a complete understanding of biodiversity - from genes to behaviour - by combining knowledge across scientific disciplines, represented by the project partners. This knowledge is essential for securing sustainable resource management, which also on the longer term can provide the foundation for growth in the business community which exploits aquatic resources in nature or aquaculture.

We expect the project to deliver results within both short and longer time scales. On a short time scale, we will strengthen research and innovation directed towards the business community and expand the network across borders and scientific disciplines in the region. The effect of our activities will be measured directly through the activity indicators "number of new researchers" and "participating research institutions". By linking research closer to business communities and management, we also expect results on a longer time scale through increased sustainable growth within the blue bioeconomy, both by providing specific recommendations based on project results and by introducing new technology and increase the level of knowledge, which will be beneficial to the business community on a longer time scale. On a longer time scale, we also expect a contribution to a better integration of research environments and thus to attain a critical mass which will be important for future attraction of research and innovation funding to the region.

Partners
DTU Aqua, National Institute of Aquatic Resources (coordinator)
University of Gothenburg, Sweden (coordinator)
Aarhus University, Denmark
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Sweden
University of Agder, Norway
Institute of Marine Research, Norway

Funding
The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (EU Interreg Øresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak).

Research area: Population Genetics
Research area: Freshwater Fisheries and Ecology
Research area: Coastal Ecology