COLLABORATION: early this year the Nordic research institution NordForsk established the research collaboration SUREAQUA, which first and foremost is to work with sustainable water production with an eye to strengthening and developing the Nordic bioeconomy. Fiskaaling is one of 13 research institutions in the Nordic research collaboration.
Along with 12 other Nordic research institutions, Fiskaaling is a part of Nordic Centre of Excellence, SUREAQUA, which NordForsk decided to establish last yeah, and which started its work early this year.
With about 40 collaborators – from all of the Nordic countries – which include universities, research institutions, and companies, as well as other relevant collaborative partners, the organisation in question is a broad one that can stand at the forefront of creating important development in bioeconomy.
The Nordic countries are well situated when it comes to opportunities for developing and increasing food production at sea and in water. The industry is an important part of the collaboration, and from the Faroese corner it is Luna, Bakkafrost, Marine Harvest, and the private limited company Tari, which are participating in the research collaboration. There are also other participating parties from the Faroe Islands; for instance, the Environment Agency.
The goal of the new Nordic Centre of Excellence is that research institutions and business enterprises research and implement projects in sustainable aquaculture in the broadest sense. Among other things, research is to be done on how salmon farming can be streamlined regarding the emissions of organic materials and nutrient salts, and how the emissions may contribute to new branches of industry. For instance, from shellfish and seaweed. A part of the project is to develop new equipment, which is to be tested at Faroese sea farms.
It is the research institution IRIS in Stavanger, which has taken initiative to the Nordic collaboration and is leading the new research centre. The grant for the collaboration is 30 million Norwegian kroner over five years, of which Fiskaaling’s share amounts to 1.5 million Norwegian kroner. In addition to this there is self-financing and other associated projects.
Gunnvør á Norði, researcher at Fiskaaling, is the one to coordinate the work on the Faroe Islands.
It is possible to read more at the website www.sureaqua.no, at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Sureaqua, and at LinkedIn.
If anyone wishes to know more about this, they are welcome to contact Gunnvør á Norði, researcher at Fiskaaling, tel. no. +298 77 47 35.
