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PUBLISHED: 
26 Apr 2021

European project VIVALDI workshop held at the Marine Institute

The Marine Institute recently hosted an information day for the VIVALDI (PreVenting and mItigating farmed biVALve DIseases) project at its headquarters in Galway. The event was attended by representatives from the shellfish industry, BIM, and a number of European national reference laboratories for molluscan diseases.

Up to twenty-one European public and private partners are involved in the European Horizon 2020 funded project (2016 – 2020), which includes four partners across the island of Ireland. The Marine Institute, NUI Galway, Queens University Belfast and University College Cork provided presentations and an overview of the VIVALDI project highlighting the work that will be undertaken by the Irish partners including developing tools and approaches aimed at better preventing and controlling marine bivalve diseases.

"The Marine Institute marine environment and food safety team are involved in three work packages where our main focus is looking at management factors that might assist in reducing the impact of Vibrio aestuarianus on oysters. We are just starting into our second year of trials to assess the impact of different husbandry strategies," explained Deborah Cheslett of the Marine Institute.

IFREMER, the French institute that undertakes research and expert assessments to advance knowledge on the oceans and their resources, monitor the marine environment and foster the sustainable development of maritime activities, is responsible for coordinating the four year VIVALDI project (2016-2020).

Isabelle Arzul who is the Principal Investigator gave an overview of the project as well as a presentation on the selective breeding programs that are being undertaken on the project.

 The information day held at the Marine Institute included the following presentations:

  • Overview of the Vivaldi Project: Isabelle Arul, IFREMER
  • Investigation of Management Factors associated with Vibrio aestuarianus related Mortality. Deborah Cheslett MI
  • Identification of novel Oyster Herpesvirus diagnostic markers for monitoring disease in farmed oysters. Owen Donohoe, NUIG
  • Genetic selection for disease tolerance/resistance: Vivaldi's expected input. Isabelle Arzul, IFREMER
  • The role of biosensors in seafood Security (safety and sustainability), Katrina Campbell, QUB
  • Mapping the seafood supply chain for risk analysis. Michaela Fox, QUB
  • Overview of UCC's involvement in the VIVALDI Project and any findings to date. Sharon Lynch, UCC

VIVALDI (Preventing and Mitigating Farmed Bivalve Diseases) is a European scientific project, financed in the framework of the EU Research and Development programme called Horizon 2020. VIVALDI’s overarching purpose is to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the European shellfish industry. For this, it will aim at improving the understanding of the diseases and developing practical solutions to prevent, control and manage them. The main species to be studied will be: oysters, mussels, clams and scallops.

http://www.vivaldi-project.eu/