AquaBioTech Group

MELoDIZER Kick-Off Meeting
2023-01-30 - 2023-01-31 | (Torino, Italy)
We are glad to announce that we are part of the new Horizon Europe Programme Project MELoDIZER.
A hybrid kick-off meeting has been planned on the 30th -31st of January, with the 18 partners, in Torino, Italy. On the agenda two full days of introduction, presentations, and discussions about the different phases of the project. Representing AquaBioTech Group on this first meeting is our Aquaculture Consutlant Thanasis Chantzaropoulos.

What is MELoDIZER?
MEloDIZER implements high performance membranes and modules in strategic applications of Membrane distillation (MD), hence providing the decisive step for the success of MD. These core components are fabricated with a focus on feasible wide uptake and on sustainability, substituting harmful materials and protocols with >80% of benign solvents and relying on green chemistry principles. Both flat-sheets and innovative hollow-fibres are produced, striking the optimum between productivity and energy efficiency, as well minimising fouling/wetting phenomena, also by applying novel sacrificial coatings while membranes are in situ. Optimised modules are developed with a focus on hydrodynamics and energy recovery improvement.
These activities are strongly supported by sustained modelling tasks, conducted at different scales to (i) control the relationship between membrane properties and performance, (ii) customise module geometry and (iii) increase system efficiency and automation. The membranes and modules are thus rationally installed as core components of four MD prototypes spanning three orders of magnitude of productivity. Two protypes (2-5m3/day, 0.5-2m3/day) are demonstrated in industrial facilities (textile, beverage, chemical industry) to reuse wastewater (70-90%), thus reducing water footprint and approaching zero waste, as well as to recover valuable nutrients as secondary raw materials from aquaculture wastewater.

Our role in MEloDIZER

Participate in the valorization of waste streams and provide wastewater for use in demo sites to determine the possibility of nutrient recovery (targeting P & N).
Participate in the training on the use of the prototype filtration system.
Provide data for Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Cost Analysis, techno-economic assessment, business cases, market opportunities and regulation assessment.
Co-lead the training and capacity-building task.

More details on the MEloDIZER project coming soon, so stay tuned!!

FishEUTrust Stakeholder Mapping and Living Lab Workshop
2023-02-02 - 2023-02-03 | (Mosta, Malta)
In February we will be hosting a FishEUTrust Stakeholder Mapping and Living Lab Workshop at our facilities in Malta joined by the sister project Sea2See.
Scheduled over two days:

Presentations on 5 co-creation living labs
Presentation of the project Stakeholder maps
Updates and Synergies with other work packages (including consumer expectations and behavior, communication, dissemination and clustering, gamification solutions and technical implementation).

What is the FishEUTrust project?
FishEUTrust will establish five Co-creation Living Labs in the Mediterranean Basin, the North Sea, and the Atlantic Sea. These will enable innovation and process validation to demonstrate the project’s supply chain solutions. Supply-chain innovation includes creating sustainable business models, protecting cultural and culinary heritage, short food supply chains, exploiting underused fish species. These innovative engagement activities aim to stimulate positive consumer behavior and the project will develop tools that maximize trust by guaranteeing the quality, safety, and traceability of seafood products, these tools are based on smart control systems (sensors), metagenomics, genetic biomarkers, isotopic techniques, and labelling/product passport/ blockchain solutions, integrated into a single digital FishEUTrust data platform.
Website coming soon >> fisheutrust.eu but in the meantime read more here

Salon Halieutis
2023-02-02 - 2023-02-05 | (Agadir, Morocco)
We are excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at Salon Halieutis – The biennial international meeting of the fisheries sector, happening in Agadir, Morocco.
For the 6th edition of the Halieutis Fair focused on “Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: levers for an inclusive and efficient Blue Economy” operators in the fishing, seafood processing and aquaculture sectors will meet from the 2nd to 5th of February 2023.
For this event our Business Development Director George D. Mantas and our Marine / Fisheries Biologist Dr. Imane Haddi will be present at Booth No. C30 to assist you with our on-going projects in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
During these days, George D. Mantas will participate in a workshop session focused on industry challenges through Research and Innovation and present a few of the European projects our RD&I department is currently involved in, namely IfishIENCi, Foodland, FishEUTrust and PRACTI-RAS projects. He will also provide in-depth details on the collaboration opportunities for 2023.
More information on the event
Also, Dr. Imane Haddi has a Project Poster on display throughout the whole event, on Fish otoliths and fisheries management: insights from stable isotopes about important pelagic species in Maltese waters – In order to implement evidence based management measures for Maltese commercially important species, Stable Isotope Analysis (SIA) of dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) and little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus) otoliths was used to investigate their stock structure in Maltese waters and contribute to the assessment of these species in the Central Mediterranean.
📆 Save the date: 2nd – 5th February 2023
📍 Agadir, Morocco
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representatives
gdm@aquabt.com | imh@aquabt.com
We hope to see you there.

GBYP (Atlantic-wide research programme for Bluefin Tuna) Larval Indices Workshop
2023-02-07 - 2023-02-09 | (Palermo, Italy)
We are pleased to announce that we have been invited to join the “Workshop on Atlantic bluefin tuna larval indices”, happening at LUMSA University Facilities in Palermo, Italy.
The workshop is organised by the International Commission Conservation Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and will be held at LUMSA University in Palermo, Sicily. Several researchers and experts will be at the workshop from institutes such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) for the discussion.
The meeting will be divided into two phases.

The first phase will discuss the current state of the art on survey strategies, sampling methodologies and analyses of bluefin tuna larval indices.
The second phase of the meeting will be tackling a series of ongoing issues on the topic, standardizing present methodologies, and exploring the possibilities for implementing new BFT larval index surveys in data poor spawning areas.

Save the dates.
📆 7th – 9th of February 2023
📍 Palermo, Italy

Our Marine/Fisheries Consultant Justin Galea will be representing us during this workshop.
➡️ If you would like to get in touch | jug@aquabt.com

BCTHubs Kick-Off Meeting
2023-02-07 | (Larissa, Greece)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the BCTHubs Kick-off meeting, happening in Larissa, Greece.
AquaBioTech Group, represented by our R&D&I Project Coordinator Ines Boujmil, is excited to be part and attend the official Kick-off meeting of the New Horizon Europe project BCTHubs, that will take place on February 7th.The meeting agenda will be from 09.30 – 17.30.
➡️ The meeting agenda will be communicated soon. In the meantime, what is BCTHubs?
BCThubs (Blue Culture Technologies) is a new field introduced in this project and relates to innovative technologies developed to support the Underwater Cultural Heritage (UWCH). UWCH consists of millions of shipwrecks, aircrafts, submerged settlements and ports lying in oceans. 3 million shipwrecks are hosted at ocean floors worldwide, providing evidence of humanities past. There is still unknown scientific knowledge and untapped potential since only 19% of the ocean is explored. BCThubs will directly have impact on different European strategies defining a state-of-the-art approach to support the UWCH.
The new Horizon Europe BCTHubs project aims to build in the participating Widening countries (i.e. Greece, Bulgaria and Malta), Blue Culture Technology Excellence Hubs, as permanent structures, supporting with new innovative solutions and products, the sustainable protection, restoration, valorisation, management, accessibility and promotion of UWCH.
AquaBioTech’s Role in the BCThubs project will be:

Detailed mapping of the existing quadruple helix stakeholders
Developing the Maltese hub ecosystem
Upskilling stakeholders of each hub on aspects related to BCT
Networking through participation in common events
Joint investment strategy and financing plans
Sustainability analysis

Stay tuned! More news coming soon

First-ever Annual Forum of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”!
2023-02-17 | (Brussels, Belgium)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the the 1st Annual Forum of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030″.
AquaBioTech Group’s Business Development Director, George Mantas, will be attending this event, organised by the European Commission. Happening tomorrow at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
This event is the largest annual gathering of the EU Mission, an initiative to protect biodiversity and develop sustainable activities to “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”
In the first year of implementation of the Mission, the objectives to protect and develop sustainable actions and activities in the restoration of the oceans and waters will be showcased. These activities will focus on the Missions commitments to implement concrete measures that illustrate innovative approaches to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems. The goal being to boost biodiversity, enhance coastal resilience, eliminate pollution, and make the blue economy climate-neutral and circular.
Get inspired by innovative approaches to restore our blue planet, grow your network, and learn how to be part of the Mission community.

Key agenda topics will focus on:

Generating increased support for the Mission.
Gathering stakeholders from critical communities affected in adherence to the Mission Charter.
Implementing activities and actions which contribute to 2030 targets across the four lighthouses.
Showcasing programs and demonstrating initiatives from across Member States, and other stakeholders on the first projects portfolio supported by EU programs.

Save the date
📆 17th February 2023
📍 Brussels, Belgium
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representative | gdm@aquabt.com

We hope to see you there!!

Blue Economy Forum III
2023-02-21 | (Athens, Greece)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the Blue Economy Forum III, happening in Athens, Greece.
The Blue Economy Forum III, the third edition of the insightful conference on all things blue, aims to explore the crossroads of the ocean, the climate crisis and the energy challenges along with the UN and the EU endeavors for sustainable livelihoods and the opportunities arising from the ocean.
Indeed, the ocean is the main climate regulator and provides us with oxygen, food, energy and many critical resources for our livelihoods and for biodiversity. As the ambitious UN Ocean Decade has started and, in Greece and the Mediterranean, the Blue Economy sector has entered a new era, the Blue Economy Forum III will explore the opportunities emerging from the EU Blue Green Deal and the UN Ocean Decade to provide sustainable solutions and to the most pressing challenges of our times, bringing in high-level policy-makers, the industry, the investment community, civil society and innovation hubs.
Some topics on the agenda are:

Catalysing investment in the Blue Economy
Innovation in the Blue Economy for Climate Change and Energy Challenge
Nutrition, the Ocean and Climate Challenges
The Ocean on the frontline of the Climate crisis
Energy Alternatives and the Blue Economy
Geopolitics and the Law of the Sea

Save the date
📆 21st February 2023
📍 Athens, Greece
For this event, our Business Development Director George D. Mantas will be representing AquaBioTech Group.
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representative | gdm@aquabt.com

We hope to see you there!!

BlueInvest Day 2023
2023-03-09 | (Brussels, Belgium)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the BlueInvest Day 2023, happening at the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels.
BlueInvest Day is the main blue economy matchmaking event in the EU since 2019, bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs and investors.
On the agenda, various panel discussions and networking sessions are planned. Our Business Development Director George D. Mantas will be representing AquaBioTech Group.
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representative | gdm@aquabt.com
Save the date:
📆 9th March 2023
📍 Hybrid Online | Brussels Belgium

The Global Seafood Expo
2023-04-25 - 2023-04-27 | (Barcelona, Spain)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending The Global Seafood Expo 2023, happening in Barcelona, Spain.
On the agenda, more than 20 educational sessions, presented by top seafood industry experts focusing on informative and practical information covering the most important and timely issues relevant to today’s seafood business environment.
Save the dates:
📆 25th – 27th April 2023
📍 Barcelona, Spain
The year’s conference program focuses on the following topics:

Aquaculture
Corporate Social Responsibility
Food Safety & Compliance (policy)
Seafood Business/Marketplace
Seafood Sustainability
Traceability & Transparency
Plastics & Climate Change as it relates to seafood

➡️ More information on the event here
Representing AquaBioTech Group, our Business Development Director George D. Mantas will be attending.
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representative gdm@aquabt.com
We hope to see you in Barcelona!

SETAC Europe 33rd Annual Meeting
2023-04-30 - 2023-05-04 | (Dublin, Ireland)
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at SETAC, happening in Ireland, Dublin.
This year the Scientific Committee for the SETAC Europe 33rd Annual Meeting is committed to putting together a not-to-be-missed conference with an exciting scientific programme addressing the overarching theme of “Data-driven environmental decision-making” for the protection and restoration of the environment.
To support the transition to renewable economies and sustainable business practices, and to facilitate the translation of scientific knowledge into data-driven policymaking and regulation, SETAC Europe 2023 will bring together scientists from various disciplines in academia, business/industry and government to share, debate, discuss, disseminate and facilitate the use and re-use of their most recent scientific knowledge to support adaptive and responsive environmental management and protection.
Save the dates.
📆 30th April – 4th May 2023
📍 Ireland, Dublin
👉 More on the topics that will be addressed for 2023 here
Representing us in Ireland, our Head of Aquatic Ecotoxicology & Principal Aquaculture Consultant Dr. Adrian C. Love, our EU Projects Coordinator & Molecular Biologist Dr. Marina Maritati and our Aquatic Ecotoxicologist Julia M. Urbano.
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representatives acl@aquabt.com | mrm@aquabt.com | jmu@aquabt.com
Join us at Booth No. 22 !!

Science in the Citadel
2023-05-14 | (Gozo, Malta)
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting, at the Science in the Citadel, happening in Gozo Malta.
The third edition of Science in the Citadel is a one-day Science extravaganza, taking place within the historic walls of the atmospheric Cittadella in Victoria. We are aiming to provide a fun and stimulating experience for visitors of all ages in order to get people talking about science, engaging with its many strands and appreciating the breadth of research, creativity and innovation taking place on the Maltese islands.
Although it is modelled on the annual Science in the City, held in Valletta every September, this day will be firmly Gozitan in flavour, with displays relevant to our lives here, including items on the island’s biodiversity, geology, agriculture, seas and skies as well as items highlighting the science and engineering inherent in the Citadel itself and its museums. Our interactive Science Trail will take you around most of the features and spectacular vistas of the fortress effortlessly blending the past with the leading edge science and technology of the future, demonstrating how Science is, and always has been, relevant to our daily lives.
Save the date:
📆 14th May 2023
📍 Gozo, Malta
On the agenda, we will be showcasing some of our ongoing RDI projects.

Hatchery Match – Developing 4 automation technologies to improve water quality, embryonic categorization, and feeding, reducing stress and losses during the hatchery phase of fish lifecycles. Read More
Profius – Addressing challenges in the supply chain related to lumpfish (roe and fish), tuna and herring side-streams by developing preservation solutions for maintaining quality and improving utilization of biomass. Read More
FishEUTrust – European integration of new technologies and social-economic solutions for increasing consumer trust and engagement in seafood products. ABT will be a living lab for the Mediterranean, testing technologies as a knowledge centre. Read More

➡️ More information on the event here
We hope to see you!

Blue Food Innovation Summit
2023-05-23 - 2023-05-24 | (London, United Kingdom)
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at Blue Food Innovation Summit 2023, happening in London, United Kingdom.
Bringing together aquaculture producers and suppliers for the fast-growing start-up and investment community, this two-day summit will focus on the transformative potential of new technologies and encourage collaboration and partnership between stakeholders across the value-chain, delving deeper into blue food production whilst maintaining ocean health.
Save the dates:
📆 23rd – 24th May 2023
📍 London, UK
Key learning objectives:

Thought Leadership: Educate the market and drive the innovation agenda by joining a prestigious panel debate or hosting a small group roundtable discussion
Brand Positioning: Elevated visibility to maximise interest and incoming inquiries, with high profile exposure throughout the marketing campaign, at the live event, and on the virtual platform
Business Development & Lead Generation: Build relationships and make new contacts, with priority access to delegates and dedicated support to set up meetings

➡️ More information on the event here
👏 Once again, we are proud to be a silver partner for the Blue Food Innovation Summit 2023 ” Investing in Sustainable Aquaculture to Replenish our Oceans”.
For this event, our representatives present to assist you with more details on our services and on-going projects are:

Shane A. Hunter Chief Executive Officer | sah@aquabt.com
Rob J. Davis Principal Aquaculture Consultant | rjd@aquabt.com
George D. Mantas Business Development Director | gdm@aquabt.com

We hope to see you in London at Booth No.3 !

European Maritime Day (EMD)
2023-05-24 - 2023-05-25 | (Brest, France)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the European Maritime Day 2023, happening in Brest, France.
This is an annual two-day event where ‘Ocean Leaders Meet’. Targeting professionals from businesses, governments, public institutions, NGOs and academia in order for Europe’s maritime community to network. Providing an interactive experience for stakeholders to catch up on the current situation concerning the blue economy and the marine environment and discussing ways forward for a sustainable blue economy.
On the agenda, excellent speakers, thematic sessions, stakeholder workshops and project pitch sessions organised by stakeholders and the European Commission.
Save the date:
📆 24th – 25th May 2023
📍 Brest, France
More information on the event here
Our Business Development Director George D. Mantas and our R&D&I Project Coordinator Ines Boujmil will be representing AquaBioTech Group.
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representatives gdm@aquabt.com | inb@aquabt.com
The EMD 2023 is being organised by the European Commission, the City of Brest, the Secretariat General for the Sea and the Region of Bretagne.

EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters"
2023-05-30 - 2023-05-31 | (Palermo, Italy)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” , happening in Palermo, Italy.
The event will be an opportunity to present several case studies and initiatives which contribute to the Mission objectives that may be scaled up and replicated in other sea basins to help set measures for the coming decade.
Save the dates:
📆 30th – 31st May 2023
📍 Palermo, Italy & Hybrid

The EU Mission?
With a 2030 target, the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” aims to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments. The Mission’s new approach will address the ocean and waters as one and play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature.
➡️ More information on the event here
Representing AquaBioTech Group, Ines Boujmil | ECOP North Africa – Mediterranean Sub-regional Node Coordinator, BlueMed Ambassador in Tunisia and ABTG R&D&I Project Coordinator
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with our representative inb@aquabt.com
We hope to see you!

1st BlueMissionMed Stakeholder Forum
2023-05-30 | (Palermo, Italy)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the 1st BlueMissionMed Stakeholder Forum – Shaping the Future of The Mediterranean Basin to Respond to EU Mission Ocean and Waters Objectives.
Are you a stakeholder representing regions and islands, ports and shipping, fisheries and aquaculture, citizens and youth, industries, cities, research and education? Join the debate to shape the future for a Healthy, Pollution free Mediterranean Sea! BlueMissionMed CSA is organising the “1st BlueMissionMed Stakeholder Forum”, which will take place on 30 May 2023 morning at Palazzo dei Normanni, Palermo, Italy in hybrid format, as side event in the context of the high-level event EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’ – The Mediterranean lighthouse in action Palermo – organised by the European Commission.
The Mission supports regional engagement and cooperation through area-based “Lighthouses” in major sea/river basins. Bringing together key stakeholders representing regions and islands, ports and shipping, fisheries and aquaculture, citizens and youth, industries, cities, research and education. Mission Lighthouses are sites to pilot, demonstrate, develop and deploy the Mission activities across EU seas and river basins.
This high-level event represents an opportunity to witness the political commitments of the Mediterranean countries towards the Mission and to present the actions and initiatives which contribute to the Mission objectives.
The “1st BlueMissionMed Stakeholder Forum” will be organised in two sessions:

“Inspire and Inform” session: presentation of inspirational case studies of innovative transformative solutions from the abovementioned stakeholder categories to stimulate the discussion and knowledge sharing among participants, about the Mediterranean hydrosphere depollution and restoration.
BlueMissionMed Stakeholder Forum Debate: a participatory thematic discussion involving representatives of the abovementioned stakeholder categories in parallel round tables.

The outcomes of the 1st BlueMissionMed Stakeholder Forum will be presented at the opening of the high-level event “The Mediterranean lighthouse in action”, on 30 May afternoon.
➡️ More information on the Forum here
The EU Mission?
With a 2030 target, the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” aims to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments. The Mission’s new approach will address the ocean and waters as one and play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature.
➡️ More information here
Representing AquaBioTech Group,

Ines Boujmil | ECOP North Africa – Mediterranean Sub-regional Node Coordinator, BlueMed Ambassador in Tunisia and ABTG R&D&I Project Coordinator | inb@quabt.com
George D. Mantas | Business Development Director | gdm@aquabt.com

We hope to see you there!

15th Annual General Meeting of the EATIP
2023-06-14 - 2023-06-15 | (Brussels, Belgium)
We are pleased to announce that we will be joining the 15th Annual General Meeting and General Assembly of the EATIP, happening in Brussels, Belgium
EATIP is an international non-profit association dedicated to developing, supporting and promoting aquaculture and, especially and specifically, technology and innovation in aquaculture in Europe so as to – establish a strong relationship between aquaculture and the consumer – assure a sustainable aquaculture industry – and consolidate the role of aquaculture in society. EATIP has been designed to include all members of the European aquaculture value chain, from suppliers through producers to processors within the profession, accompanied by leading research groups and key representative organisations.
On the agenda, multiple presentations and panel discussions are planned for this 2 days event.

Theme 1: Building a Community of Practice for European Aquaculture
Theme 2: Research and Innovation requirements to support Blue Farming within Europe
Theme 3: Research and Innovation Priority Areas

➡️ More information on the event and the agenda here
Save the dates:
📆 14th – 15th June 2023
📍 Brussels, Belgium

If you’d like to get in touch with our representative, Siân Ringrose | Head of IP Development and Commercialisation | sir@aquabt.com
Looking forward to see you in Brussels!

Joining Forces for the Energy Transition in EU Fisheries and Aquaculture
2023-06-16 | (Brussels, Belgium)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the “Joining Forces for the Energy Transition in EU Fisheries and Aquaculture” Launch Event, happening in Brussels, Belgium.
Organised by the European Commission, the high-level conference Joining Forces for the Energy Transition in EU Fisheries and Aquaculture will be the start of new stakeholder cooperation on the energy transition in the sector. Join for a day of panel discussions, pitches and networking with speakers including from the fisheries and aquaculture sector, European institutions, research, financial institutes on the topics of stakeholder cooperation, finance, technology, innovation, skills and more.
It will be the moment to launch the process of establishing the new Energy Transition Partnership for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The conference will bring together all the stakeholders that are needed to act together to accelerate the transition towards a resilience and climate-neutral sector by 2050.
➡️ More information on the event here
Save the dates:
📆 16th June 2023
📍 Brussels, Belgium

If you’d like to get in touch with our representative, Siân Ringrose | Head of IP Development and Commercialisation | sir@aquabt.com
Looking forward to see you in Brussels!

iFishIENCi Final Event
2023-06-21 - 2023-06-22 | (Bergen, Norway)
The iFishIENCi Aquaculture 4.0 project is coming to an end.
We invite you to join us at the iFishIENCi Aquaculture 4.0 Final Event. The projects latest technology advancements in digital twin and IoT for feeding efficiency through behavior analysis and precision monitoring will be showcased. Attendees will experience short engaging presentations and panel discussions to discover how iFishIENCi technologies will enable fish farmers to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance sustainability, while strengthening trust, and thus investment, in the industry.
Save the dates:
📆 21st – 22nd June 2023
📍 Bergen, Norway
➡️ More information on the event and the agenda here

Background information on the iFishIENCi project
iFishIENCi is an EU Horizon 2020 project bringing together 16 partners in a transdisciplinary effort towards making genuine improvements to aquaculture management and practices. The overall goal of the iFishIENCi project is to provide new intelligent monitoring and feeding technologies to support ambitious, but sustainable growth for the European aquaculture industry.
➡️ More information here

WestMED Stakeholder Conference 2023
2023-06-22 | (Malta)
We are pleased to announce that we will be joining the WestMED Initiative Stakeholder Conference, happening in Malta.
The Conference will be held on Thursday, 22 June 2023. The event is open to all stakeholders that are contributing to improve the sustainable blue economy in the region. The format will be interactive. Based on your level of expertise, you can both contribute to the discussion or ask fellow experts to help in your respective activities.
This year’s focus will be on the four main thematic areas that the WestMED Initiative actively supports:

Sustainable Aquaculture
Green Shipping and Ports
Maritime Clusters
Marine Spatial Planning

➡️ More information on the event here
Representing AquaBioTech Group, our R&D&I Project Coordinator Ines Boujmil
➡️ If you would like to get in touch with her > inb@aquabt.com
We hope to see you !

HatcheryMatch Project Closing Event
2023-06-27 | (Mosta, Malta)
The HatcheryMatch project is coming to an end.
We invite you to join us at for the Closing Event happening on the 27th of June 2023, to discover the project results.
Save the date:
📆 27th June 2023
📍 Mosta, Malta | Hybrid
➡️ Registration is open. Click here

Background information on the HatcheryMatch project

HatcheryMatch is a two-year Science and Technology Cooperation Sino-Malta Fund Project between Maltese partners AquaBioTech Group and The Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition at the L-Università ta’ Malta and Chinese partners Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute and Qingdao Blue Granary Ocean Fishery Development Co., Ltd., under the thematic priority Maritime & Aquaculture. Malta and China have a history of collaborative research going back to 2002 and in 2018 Malta and China signed the Belt and Road Initiative agreement to further support collaborative trading, cultural and research activities between the two countries.

The HatcheryMatch project aims to develop four new automation technologies to improve water quality, embryonic categorization, and feeding and in turn reduce stress and losses during the hatchery phase of fish lifecycles. Prototypes for live feed systems, ultrasound disinfection, bottom cleaning devices and a digital, embryonic image analyzer was created. A pilot recirculating hatchery was developed integrating these new technologies to reduce stress on marine stocks, lower labor dependence and increase seeding rate.

SMARTPOL Beach Clean-up
2023-08-05
We are pleased to announce that we will be organising a beach clean-up
As we celebrate the International Day of the Mediterranean Sea, we are thrilled to announce that the SMARTPOL Project is launching an Beach Clean-up followed by an Art contest in Malta, jointly organised by AquaBioTech Group and Zibel.
In order to improve the “Mediterranean Sea literacy” and participatory research, we have planned this event within EMD in my country, which will be connected to the EU Beach Clean Up initiative, contributing to Ocean Literacy & Citizen Science to tackle marine pollution.
Save the date for the Beach Clean-up
📆 05th August 2023
⏱ 08:30 am – 14:00 pm
📍 Is-Simenta St. Pauls Bay, Malta

Art contest
Beneficiaries
Contestants (mainly families and children) would be using plastic bottles, cans and other discarded material collected from the beach on 5 August 2023. This competition is mainly dedicated to children who have to create their art work from the collected plastic litter and get the support from their parents to submit before the 02 October 2023.
Award
A Prize Ceremony will follow where three (3) winners will be announced and will receive prizes ! We established the connection with our partners from the Horizon Project BCTHubs in order to connect our winners with the Sea, our Underwater (UW) Cultural Heritage (CH) and the diving activities!

1st Place: Blue Wave Water Sports – half day self-driving boat tour for the family
2nd Place: Snorkelling Course
3rd Place: Aquarium guided tour for the family

Registration link

Exciting, isn’t it? We hope that you’ll join us in that great initiative towards marine pollution

Background overview of the SMARTPOL Project
SMARTPOL project aims to present a novel compact pollution detection, monitoring and analysis system to monitor marine fields and detect different types of marine pollution. The system will mainly consist of Shore Control Centre (SCC) and unmanned surface vessel (USV), both equipped with multi–sensor technology and AI based solutions. SMARTPOL inland sea pollution monitoring and detection system provides higher spatial and temporal resolution-based early warning and real time information which are essential to decrease first intervention time and avoid possible environmental losses. This project will build a solution in which new technological developments are integrated with the state-of-the-art technologies to preserve sea, reduce the first response time in sea pollution, and enable effective actions in interaction with information technologies instead of analogue response operations.
More information about the project here

AquaNor 2023
2023-08-22 - 2023-08-24 | (Trondheim, Norway)
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at AquaNor, happening in Trondheim, Norway.
Aqua Nor is the world’s most important trade fair in the aquaculture industry. After organising a successful hybrid fair in 2021 the biennial Aqua Nor 2023 will return to the halls of Trondheim Spektrum for another trend-setting event in the aquaculture industry. Aqua Nor exhibit strikes an excellent balance between facilitating business partnerships for fish farming and creating a welcoming environment for networking, knowledge sharing, research and innovation within the industry.
Save the dates
📆 22nd – 24th August 2023
📍 Trondheim, Norway
👉 More information here
Representing us in Norway, are

Shane A. Hunter Chief Financial Officer | sah@aquabt.com
George D.Mantas Business Development Director | gdm@aquabt.com
Rob J. Davies Principal Aquaculture Consultant | rjd@aquabt.com
Freya M. Robinson Aquaculture Consultant and R&D&I Project Manager | fmr@aquabt.com
William H. Nowell Business Development Executive | whn@aquabt.com

Come and join us at Booth No. D-362 !!

Aquaculture Europe
2023-09-18 - 2023-09-21 | (Vienna, Austria)
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at Aquaculture Europe, happening in Vienna, Austria.
Aquaculture is the world’s most diverse farming practice in terms of number of species, farming methods, intensity level and environments used. Significant efforts have been made to promote species diversity since global aquaculture production is dominated by a few dozen species. The needs for responsible use of resources, improved efficiency and in-creased resilience against future challenges such as diseases and climate change require further diversification in aquaculture beyond species level.
Save the dates:
📆 18th – 21st September 2023
📍 Vienna, Austria
More information on the event here.
If you’d like to schedule a meeting with one of AquaBioTech Group’s representatives:

Shane A. Hunter Chief Executive Officer | sah@aquabt.com
Dr. Simona Paolacci R&D&I Project Coordinator | sip@aquabt.com
William H. Nowell Business Development Executive | whn@aquabt.com
Michele Gallo Head of Aquatic Research Facilities Design | mig@aquabt.com
Davide Sorella Aquaculture Consultant | das@aquabt.com

Come and meet with us at Booth No. 84,85 and 86!!
On the agenda
Oral Presentations

Michele Gallo will be doing a presentation on the SEA2LAND project “Collection and Treatment of Wastewater from Recirculation Aquaculture Systems, with the Scope of Producing Bio-Based Fertilizers”.
Davide Sorella will be doing a presentation on the FoodLAND and PrAEctiCe projects “Aquaculture Developments in East Africa Through the Lens of Two European Funded Horizon Projects Foodland and PrAEctiCe”
Dr. Simona Paolacci will be doing a presentation on the iFishIENCi project on “Feed and Feeding Technology Development in RAS”

Posters

We will have 3 posters on the iFishIENCi project

“Effect of Fishmeal Replacement with Single Cell Proteins (Candida sp., Nannochloropsis sp.) in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Osmoregulatory and Stress Responses”
“Effect of Different Inclusion Rates of Yeast (Candida utilis) As Protein Source in Hybrid African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus x Heterobranchus longifilis) Stress Response and Lipid Metabolism”
“From RAS to SMARTRAS – Feeding of Atlantic Salmon, (Salmo salar) Based on Behaviour”

An E-poster will be displayed based on the pilot project: (Promoting a sustainable and resource-efficient aquaculture in the Mediterranean) on “Technological Innovations for a Circulating and Durable Economy in the Aquaculture Value Chain in Tunisia”.

Posters for two of our Research, Development and Innovation projects

HatcheryMatch “Testing the Disinfection Capacities of a Hydro Cavitation Prototype in a Recirculating Aquaculture System and the Effects on Water Quality Parameters and Growth Performance of European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)“
PROFIUS “Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), Side Streams from Maltese Farms as Potential Raw Ingredients for AquaFeed”

We hope to see you around!

Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Calls 2024 Brokerage Event
2023-09-26 | (Brussels, Belgium)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Calls 2024 Brokerage Event, happening in Brussels, Belgium.
The CARE4BIO brokerage event (#CARE4BIOBrokerage) will be dedicated to consortium building. The objective is to gather all relevant stakeholders intending to apply for funding in the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Calls 2024. The main part of the event will comprise bilateral meetings between participants from Europe and beyond interested in the same topics, seeking to share new project ideas and find collaboration partners. Thus, the brokerage event will help you to build your consortium for the for the upcoming Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Calls 2024.
Save the dates
📆 26th September 2023
📍 Brussels, Belgium
👉 More information here
Representing us during this conference our Business Development Director, George D. Mantas | gdm@aquabt.com

ProNiCare Annual Meeting
2023-09-28 - 2023-09-30 | (Mosta, Malta)
We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting the ProNiCare Annual Meeting, at our facilities here in Malta.
On the agenda two full days of introduction, presentations, and discussions about the different phases of the project with the different partners. This meeting will be a great opportunity to meet with the partners in person and draw the path for the steps forward.
📆 27th- 29th September 2023

What is ProNiCare?
Marine biofouling and corrosion are two substantial challenges for shipping, offshore infrastructures, and maritime technologies exposed to sea water. Expensive corrosion resistant materials are often needed for smaller functional equipment and surfaces like marine heat exchangers. Antifouling manufacturers have been forced to develop new antifouling coatings after the ban of environmentally damaging tributyltin (TBT) in 2003. There is a great need for environmentally friendly and more cost-effective solutions. In PRONICARE this will be advanced through use of high-tech nanomaterial-based formulations, creating a thin coating with functional antifouling and anti-rust additives in a green and eco-friendly product.
➡️ More information here

Malta International Fish Fest
2023-09-30 - 2023-10-01
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting, at Malta International Fish Fest.
The 2023 edition of The Malta International Fish Fest will be held in Mellieha and Marsaxlokk in the coming weeks.
Malta International Fish Fest 2023 is being held in two localities that are known for their fishing culture, and thus, will have a wider and more international perspective than seen in previous editions. Similar to past Malta International Fish Fests, this year’s event shall entail the sale of fish, and even the cooking and promotion of traditional fish typically caught in local waters, such as sea bass, sea bream, tuna, dolphinfish (lampuki), dogfish (mazzoli), and rays.
The local communities of Marsaxlokk and Mellieħa will participate in this event through the setting up of a number of educational stands. Moreover, those attending can expect free entertainment for children as well as music in the evening suitable for all ages.
📆 Save the dates:

Saturday 30th September – Fisherman’s Wharf, Marsaxlokk
Sunday 01st October 2023 – Museum of Tuna Catchers, Mellieħa

On the agenda, AquaBioTech Team will be showcasing some ongoing RDI projects namely FishEUTrust and EUFish_SustainableGrowth

6th NordicRAS Workshop
2023-10-03 - 2023-10-04 | (Tromsø, Norway)
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the 6th NordicRAS Workshop , happening in Tromsø, Norway.
The 6th international NordicRAS workshop invites farmers, managers, technology- and service providers, engineers, veterinarians, researchers and others with a professional interest in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) to discuss and present newest knowledge and developments in RAS. The workshop is organized by DTU Aqua in collaboration with University of Tromsø (UiT).
Save the dates:
📆 03rd – 04th October 2023
📍 Tromsø, Norway
➡️ More information on the event here

Michele Gallo our Head of Aquatic Research Facilities Design will be representing us during the event
If you’d like to get in touch with him | mig@aquabt.com

GFCM High-level conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives
2023-10-03 - 2023-10-04
We are pleased to announce that we will be attending the GFCM High-level conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives, happening in Malta
Five years away from reaching the targets set by the Malta MedFish4Ever Declaration, and in the wake of recent crises that have called for greater adaptation and need to boost progress, the GFCM High-level conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives: Transformative actions to address new challenges aims to take stock of advances and inspire reinforced ambition towards sustainable Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries and aquaculture.
Save the dates:
📆 3-4 October 2023
📍 Malta
More information on the conference here
The conference will open on 3 October 2023 with multidisciplinary panels exploring the challenges faced and potential solutions as we look to the future. These will be followed, on the second day, by a high-level segment where ministers and their representatives will announce how they intend to accelerate their commitments towards delivering on their sustainability pledges and defining the future outlook, means and opportunities for this important sector. Other events are also planned to be held in parallel with the conference.
Information on the different panels and agenda, here

Italian-Maltese joint National WestMED event
2023-10-04 - 2023-10-06 | (Catania, Italy | Online)
We are pleased to announce that we will be participating in the Italian-Maltese joint National WestMED event, Online.
This event will focus on the centrality of the Blue Economy to mobilise the Mediterranean blue ecosystem, through a strengthening of North-South cooperation, and will therefore welcome various operators from the southern shore WestMED countries as well. Our Business Development Director, George D. Mantas will be contributing to the discussions for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture planned at 17:00 (CEST)
📆 04th – 06th October 2023
📍 Catania, Italy | Online
➡️ More information here

AgraME
2023-10-09 - 2023-10-10 | (Dubai, UAE)
We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at AgraME 2023, happening in Dubai, Middle East.
Aquaculture is the world’s most diverse farming practice in terms of number of species, farming methods, intensity level and environ-ments used. Significant efforts have been made to promote species diversity since global aquaculture production is dominated by a few dozen species. The needs for responsible use of resources, improved efficiency and in-creased resilience against future challenges such as diseases and climate change require further diversification in aquaculture beyond species level.
Save the dates:
📆 9th – 10th October 2023
📍 Middle East, Dubai
More information on the event here.

If you’d like to schedule a meeting with one of AquaBioTech Group’s representatives:

Shane A. Hunter our Chief Executive Officer | sah@aquabt.com
Michele Gallo our Head of Aquatic Research Facilities Design | mig@aquabt.com

Meet us at Booth H4 – M001
