About
At the Andalusian Aquaculture Technology Centre, CTAQUA, our main focus is aquaculture -one of the fastest growing food production industries worldwide-, featuring as a sustainable alternative to provide society with healthy and affordable foodstuffs. We work for meeting research, development and innovation needs in the aquaculture and seafood industries, by developing bespoke solutions for their multiple technical and production processes; implementing applied research as the driving force; being supported by expertise and professionalism, innovation, and creativity, as well as our commitment to society and the environment. Our main areas of activities are in animal nutrition, animal wellbeing, species diversification, macroalgae and sustainable aquaculture and seafood processing. We are located in El Puerto de Santa María, in the south of Spain, an area with a long tradition of seafood production.
Role in the project
CTAQUA is involved in both the part of biomass sourcing as well as in the part of feed ingredient validation. As lead of WP1 (Sourcing of biomass), CTAQUA coordinates the sourcing of macroalgae and crustacean biomass to WP2 partners. CTAQUA’s own role in WP1 will centre on value chain 2 of the project: the sustainable cultivation and/or harvesting of macroalgae biomass, in particular green macroalgal species. Work will include resource mapping, cultivation, and the establishment of biomass conservation protocols. Furthermore, CTAQUA will carry out the task of evaluating extracts for their suitability as functional aquafeed compounds in WPs 3 and 4. Finally, CTAQUA will assist by contributing data to the environmental, social and economic assessment as well as to more transversal tasks as stakeholder engagement and results’ dissemination and communication.
Team leader
Erik-jan Malta
Founder Deputy Director of Applied Research & Innovation