The overarching objective of the AORA Aquaculture Working Group is to facilitate enhanced scientific cooperation, information sharing and collaboration on common sustainable aquaculture questions to increase the overall scientific knowledge and support an ecosystem-approach to the management of aquaculture.
In working together to advance results in the identified areas of research cooperation, the aquaculture working group is seeking ways to improve efficiencies and effectiveness by:
- Organizing and leveraging research activities in a way that takes advantage of opportunities for synergies in work already underway and the use of infrastructure;
- Coordinating the planning and programming of relevant activities and resources.
- Developing ways to work more strategically
This working group has chosen to initially focus its scientific research on the following specific areas:
- Modelling carrying capacity/deposition
- Spatial planning
- Modelling of genetic interactions
- Fish health and disease (other than diseases transmission) and climate change
- Harmful algal blooms and mollusc disease and climate change
- Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)
- Outreach, Public Perception, Public Acceptance
- Sensors
Progress on cooperation, information sharing, and collaboration under each of the themes are in various stages of maturity. The majority of the themes have identified expert leads from each jurisdiction and developed a living document (a roadmap) as a result of the AORA Aquaculture Working Group cooperation. This document outlines the medium to long term strategy, the key challenges and scientific proprieties for each of the selected areas of interest, and lists some recommendations on services and resources to facilitate cooperation.
The Co-Chairs of the Working Group are:
Department of Fisheries & Oceans Canada
European Commission DG Research & Innovation
US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Some of the achievements of the Working Group to date include:
- Early identification of projects from Canada, EU and US programmes to establish cooperation through information sharing, twinning projects, joint publications, fostering exchanges, convening workshops, aligning programming of research activity, training and education
- Agreeing on eight specific research topic areas for cooperation (as above)
- A Living Roadmap outlining a medium to long-term strategy, the key challenges and scientific priorities for each specific research area and recommendations for services and resources to facilitate cooperation
- Inventory of On-going Cooperation and Exchange Programmes between Canada, EU and US.