More than 80 aquaculture projects are underway in Portugal, mainly in the Algarve region, involving a total of €102.8 million in investment, including €40.9 million of public support, through the Mar 2020 (‘Sea 2020’) operational programme, it was announced.
“With support from Mar 2020, 81 aquaculture enterprise projects are underway, involving an investment of €102.8 million and counting on public support of €40.94 million,” reads a note released on Monday on the Mar 2020 official website.
Of the total number of projects, 39 are in the Algarve, 16 in the Centre region, 12 in Lisbon and Tagus Valley, eight in the North, four in the Alentejo, one in the Azores and another in Madeira.
According to the same document, the projects will enable increased productivity and diversification variously of seaweed, sole, turbot, sea bass, sea bream, trout and bivalves, namely oysters, clams and mussels.
At the same time, 44 research and innovation projects are also underway, with combined investment of around €26.5 million. The research in question aims to boost the study of species such as micro- and macroalgae, sea cucumbers, cuttlefish and snappers, to build and test offshore (deep sea) production, and to produce food while improving the “specific welfare of each species”, for example by mitigating diseases.
“Aquaculture has a limited environmental footprint and contributes to the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity,” the statement reads. “It is therefore a sector with strong growth potential in supplying the food chain with nutritious and healthy food. The sector’s growth is a clear bet to promote economic development and employment.”
The Mar 2020 operational programme, which is part of the wide-ranging Portugal 2020 of European Union-funded spending, aims to implement support measures that form part of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). Among its priorities are the promotion of competitiveness and economic, social and environmental sustainability, as well as the increase of territorial cohesion.
This programme has an overall allocation of €508 million, of which around €116 million corresponds to Portugal’s own public contribution, from the state budget, with the remaining €392 million coming from the EMFF.
