PROJECT

European Aquaculture Gears Up for Climate Change

Tromsø, Norway, 21 May 2025 | The initiative, involving 22 European partners, comes at a key moment for the sector

Proyecto Europeo Cambio Climático

The Norwegian city of Tromso has hosted the official launch of Operationalising Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Europeean Aquacutulture, a major new EU-funded initiative under the Horizon Europe programme. Over the next four years, the project will develop practical, science-based solutions to help Europe’s aquaculture sector adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

As the effects of climate change become increasingly evident, Europe’s aquaculture industry is facing a growing number of challenges-from extreme weather events to rising water temperatures and shifting in the availability of natural resources. The project aims to address these issues head-on, with a strong emphasis on practical adaptation strategies and real-world impact.

Spain plays a key role in the project, contributing to two of its nine case studies. These focus on species of major importance to the Spanish aquaculture sector: A study on climate change mitigation and adaptation in mussel farming, led by the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC) in Galicia; and a second case study examining resilience in rainbow trout farming, coordinated by Caviar Pirinea and PROINSA.

The project, as noted by organization, is built around four core pillars: supporting the transition to climate-resilient and sustainable aquaculcutre; developing advanced digital tools to support evidence-based decision-making; encouraging meaningful collaboration among its 22 partner organization to ensure the practical application of results; and delivering regional case studies across Europe, reflecting a broad spectrum of production systems-from large-scale industrial operations to small, family-run farms.