Boost to the Blue Economy in Macaronesia with the Launch of the ACUICONECTA Project

The Canary Islands are leading a new aquaculture research initiative that will strengthen the transition towards a diversified economy in Macaronesia and the African countries of the Atlantic coast, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the marine environment and the coastline to generate wealth and employment. The project, called ACUICONECTA, is co-financed by the Interreg MAC 2021-2027 Cooperation Program.

The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), as an integral member of the project consortium, is participating this week in its launch, which is being held at the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands (ITC).

The ACUICONECTA project seeks to connect research agents, industry, institutions, and society to promote sustainable, productive, and resilient aquaculture in the Macaronesia region. With nearly 3.7 million euros in funding, through the ERDF Fund, this project brings together a total of 25 partners from the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde, Ghana, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

ACUICONECTA focuses on applied research and knowledge transfer to the private sector, promoting the development of advanced technological solutions to address the challenges of the aquaculture sector. Among its notable actions are the promotion of shared use of infrastructures and technologies, as well as the creation of experimental spaces dedicated to aquaculture research.

In this regard, PLOCAN plays a key role in ACUICONECTA, validating innovative technologies for aquaculture in real marine environments. Through its test site, it will test prototypes adapted to the high seas, optimize monitoring and data transmission systems, and facilitate industrial scalability. Additionally, it will collaborate in regulatory environments such as Sandboxes and Free Technology Zones (FTZ) and promote technology transfer through sector events and forums.

The expected results of the ACUICONECTA project include improving the competitiveness and sustainability of the aquaculture sector, benefiting both large companies and SMEs linked to the cultivation, processing, and marketing of aquaculture species, as well as strengthening collaboration between the participating regions and African countries.

ACUICONECTA shares synergies with the THINKINAZUL Canarias initiative, framed within the Complementary R&D&I Plan in Marine Sciences for cooperation between autonomous communities, promoting collaborative work based on scientific knowledge and innovation to favor economic diversification, and thereby generate wealth and employment, towards blue economy sectors with high growth potential.


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