The current exploitation of the aquatic resources is hampered by inefficiency as up to 70 % end up as low-value products or waste, which is unsustainable considering the rising populations. In order to utilise this currently poorly exploited biomass for higher value purposes, provision of proper logistics and infrastructure to ensure high quality of side-streams for a prolonged window of time is essential. Also promising technologies currently available at lab level need to be adapted to industrial scale and integrated into a biorefinery approach. The objective of the WASEABI project is to solve challenges that prevents more sound exploitation of the aquatic resources. This will be obtained by developing, sorting technologies, storage solutions and decision tools that will secure an efficient, sustainable supply system for by-catches, as well as for solid and liquid side-streams from aquaculture, fisheries and the aquatic processing industries to biorefining operations. This will result in valorisation of these raw materials into marketable products. By addressing side-streams from six different raw materials emerging from typical aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic processing industries in Europe, WASEABI will take a whole chain perspective to succeed with high quality production of: i) bioactive peptides for nutraceutical, food and feed applications, ii) protein-based food ingredients, iii) savoury ingredients and mineral supplements for food and feed. WASEABI will also construct biorefining approaches and validate selected solutions in pilot scale at the premises of participating companies. The commercial potential of the produced ingredients will be evaluated and specific environmental, economic and social impacts of the proposed solutions will be quantified. Several of the developed technologies will be transferable across seafood companies. WASEABI addresses all the objectives described for BBI 2018. SO1.R1.

The mesopelagic layer is one of the least understood ecosystems on Earth. Recent research suggests that the fish biomass in the mesopelagic ecosystem might be 10 times higher than previously thought, and therefore represent 90 % of the fish biomass of the planet. However, this estimate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty in the fraction of the community that is fish. The potential high biomass has raised interest in its exploitation, mainly as a fish meal, but other potential exploitation pathways for high value compounds, such as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, are possible. Nevertheless, if the biomass is as high as estimated, mesopelagic fish may play a key role in ecosystem services, such as sustaining other commercially relevant species and carbon sequestration. SUMMER will establish a protocol to accurately estimate mesopelagic fish biomass, quantify the ecosystem services provided by the mesopelagic community (food, climate regulation and potential for bioactive compounds) and develop a decision support tool to measure the trade-offs between the different services. Combining eDNA with in situ acoustics and trawls SUMMER will obtain an accurate assessment of the composition and biomass of the mesopelagic community. Gut content analysis, molecular markers and stable isotopes will allow quantification of the vertically integrated trophic network, linking to commercial and charismatic species. Models will be used to estimate the impact of fishing scenarios on trophic network stability and carbon sequestration. Mesopelagic organisms will be tested for their potential as fish meal, nutra and pharmaceuticals. The project will develop a decision support tool to enable accounting for trade-offs between services in when considering sustainable use of mesopelagic resources. Finally, a range of interactions with stakeholders, policy makers and public will ensure that any strategy to exploit the mesopelagic ecosystem takes account of all the consequences.

SEA2LAND aims to provide solutions to help overcome challenges related to food production, climate change and waste reuse. The SEA2LAND project will meet this challenge by improving and adapting technologies for nutrient recovery to produce biobased fertilizers (BBFs) from fish processing and aquaculture byproducts. It will promote the production of large-scale fertilizers in the EU from own raw materials, based on the circular economy model, transforming by-products into nutrients for crops. SEA2LAND will contribute to the independence and security in the supply of nutrients to European agriculture, reducing the nutrient imbalance in Europe. The basis of the project is the regional production of BBFs developing demonstration pilots that can be replicated throughout Europe, boosting local growth. The project proposes the implementation of 9 technologies in 7 cases in 6 areas representative of the fisheries sector (North, Baltic, Atlantic, Cantabric, Mediterranean, Adriatic Sea). The proposed technologies range from well-known processes (bokashi, composting, etc.) that can be a solution in some areas due to its low cost and simplicity to others more sophisticated that go from thermo-mechanical fractionation to enzymatic hydrolysis. The technologies will be applied to different by-products (typical in each implementation area), and they will produce several BBFs either for local crops and conditions, and others for exporting (with high value and effectiveness to assure a low impact). BBFs will be characterized to ensure compliance with EU regulations, including those related to organic farming. Besides, the effects on soil biodiversity, environmental sustainability and the impact on social parameters and local economy will be studied and business plans will be defined. Finally BBFs from by-products will serve to partially replace imported nutrients for agriculture in Europe, contributing to reduce the negative environmental effects of the misuse of by-products.

The European Union has committed to the gradual elimination of discarding. DiscardLess will help provide the knowledge, tools and technologies as well as the involvement of the stakeholders to achieve this. These will be integrated into Discard Mitigation Strategies (DMS) proposing cost-effective solutions at all stages of the seafood supply chain. The first focus is on preventing the unwanted catches from ever being caught. This will promote changes in gear using existing and innovative selectivity technology, and changes in fishing tactics based on fishers’ and scientists’ knowledge. The second focus is on making best use of the unavoidable unwanted catch. We will detail technical and marketing innovations from the deck, through the supply chain to the final market, including monitoring, traceability and valorization components. DiscardLess will evaluate the impacts of discarding on the marine environment, on the economy, and across the wider society. We will evaluate these impacts before, during and after the implementation of the landing obligation, allowing comparison between intentions and outcomes. Eliminating discards is as much a societal challenge as a fishery management one, so we will also evaluate stakeholders’ perception of discards. DiscardLess will describe the changes in management and the associated governance structures needed to cement the process. We will propose approaches to managing discards in a range of case study fisheries across Europe, encompassing differences in specific discarding issues. All these innovations will be combined in integrated Internet based interactive programs (DMS toolbox) that will help fishers to evaluate the present and future situation and to take a more qualified decision of how to adjust to the new regime. Also, we will disseminate the outcome of the project and maximize knowledge transfer across Europe through an educational environment – teaching the next generation – as well as more conventional routes.