Under the leadership of LIFE, the AquaFeed project examines whether the production and distribution of sustainable predatory fish feed based on regional raw materials can be implemented in Austria. To this end, a comprehensive literature review has already been conducted, legal frameworks analyzed, raw material availability and potential transport routes modeled, and practical trials carried out by aquaculture operations.
Synergies with other projects, discussion and networking
During the networking meeting, in addition to an update on AquaFeed, other thematically related projects from Austria and Germany were presented. In the subsequent breakout sessions, moderated discussions in small groups addressed the various topics and projects. The productive exchange brought together practical experiences and requirements with the current state of knowledge from research and administrative perspectives.
Represented at the second networking meeting were:
- Fish farming and processing: Biofisch GmbH, EISVOGEL Hubert Bernegger GmbH, Fischereibetrieb Payr, WALDLAND Tierveredelungs GmbH
- Fish feed production: Garant-Tiernahrung GmbH, PUREA Austria GmbH, Entolum GmbH
- Research: AGES – Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Alfred Wegener Institute (Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research), BAW – Federal Office for Water Management, BOKU – University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Hochschule Bremerhaven, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, LfL – Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
- Consulting/interest representation: Chamber of Agriculture Lower Austria, Austrian Association for Fisheries and Aquaculture, South Tyrolean Farmers' Federation
- Ministries: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environment Protection, Regions and Water Management; Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
Next steps in the project
The next steps in the project include feeding trials and a survey of aquaculture operations in Austria. The aspects developed during the stakeholder meeting will be taken into account. Shortly before the project ends, a third networking meeting is planned, to discuss – among other things – the possibilities of transferring the results into practice.
This project is financed as part of the departmental research program via dafne.at with funds from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management. The BMLUK supports applied, problem-oriented and practice-oriented research in the department's area of expertise.
