Italia-Croatia

INTRODUCTION to the Library section of the Marinet project

Welcome to the MARINET Project Library, which brings together the knowledge, research, tools and practical resources developed to support a more sustainable, resilient and innovative Adriatic aquaculture sector.
MARINET – MARIculture NETwork brings together partners from Italy and Croatia to address key challenges in Adriatic marine aquaculture. By combining scientific research, technological innovation, economic analysis and knowledge transfer, the project aims to improve the sector’s sustainability and competitiveness.
The project is organised into four Work Packages, each addressing a different aspect of this shared objective.
WP1 – Improvement of biosecurity and sustainability of Adriatic mariculture focuses on fish health, welfare and biosecurity. It covers surveillance protocols, environmental and fish health data management, digital monitoring, AI-based risk assessment, innovative vaccines and biosecurity tools for fish farming.
WP2 – Assessment of integrated aquaculture and diversification of production explores ways to diversify Adriatic aquaculture, focusing on the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) and integrated multispecies aquaculture. It examines oyster recruitment, growth, biological cycles, health, microbiome and stress, as well as the environmental potential of integrated production systems.
WP3 – Improvement of quality, safety and market potential of aquaculture products examines aquaculture products from production to consumption. Research covers nutritional value, quality and safety, shelf life, packaging, consumer perception and market opportunities to strengthen the value and competitiveness of fish and oyster products.
WP4 – Knowledge transfer, innovation and economic sustainability promotes the practical use of MARINET’s knowledge and solutions. It covers the deployment and adoption of digital tools, a bio-economic model, advisory support for SMEs, knowledge-transfer events and dialogue with regulatory authorities.

To make the project results easier to explore, the MARINET Library groups its deliverables into four project categories:
•    Agreements, Strategies and Plans
•    Clusters and Hubs
•    Digital Tools
•    Training, Skills and Awareness Raising
Within each category, related results are organised into sections that introduce the topic and link to the relevant documents. Readers can therefore explore MARINET’s outputs by project activity or by the type of knowledge, solution or resource produced.
Explore the Library to discover MARINET’s research, tools, recommendations and practical resources for a healthier, more sustainable and competitive Adriatic aquaculture sector.

AGREEMENTS, STRATEGIES AND PLANS

This section brings together the scientific evidence, guidelines, protocols, assessments and strategic documents developed by MARINET to support more sustainable and resilient aquaculture practices.The resources cover a wide range of topics, from fish health, welfare and biosecurity to flat oyster cultivation, integrated mariculture, nutritional quality, product safety and market development. They provide knowledge and practical recommendations that can support researchers, aquaculture professionals, SMEs and public authorities in improving practices across the Adriatic aquaculture sector. Explore the documents below to discover the evidence, recommendations and methodologies developed through MARINET.

- Fish health, welfare and biosecurity

Improving fish health and preventing disease are essential for a resilient and sustainable aquaculture sector. MARINET developed scientific protocols, vaccination approaches and practical biosecurity resources to support better health and welfare management in seabream and seabass farming. The resources in this section provide knowledge and practical guidance for monitoring fish welfare, preventing bacterial infections and strengthening biosecurity practices at farm level.
 

- Flat oyster and integrated aquaculture

The European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) represents an important opportunity for the diversification of Adriatic aquaculture. MARINET investigated its production potential and explored innovative approaches to improve cultivation and integrate different species within sustainable aquaculture systems. The project results provide new knowledge on oyster recruitment and growth, biological cycles, health, microbiome and stress, as well as on the environmental performance of integrated multispecies aquaculture.

- Nutritional quality, safety and shelf-life

The quality and safety of aquaculture products are essential for their acceptance by consumers and their competitiveness on the market. MARINET investigated the nutritional characteristics of oysters and fish products, as well as factors affecting product quality, shelf-life and market readiness.The results provide evidence and practical knowledge to support the valorisation of aquaculture products and the development of improved approaches to quality and food safety.

- Consumers, markets and aquaculture products

Developing a sustainable aquaculture sector also means understanding consumers and creating stronger links between innovative production and the market. MARINET explored consumer perception and identified approaches to promote aquaculture products and support SMEs in their market development. The results contribute to the development of more effective marketing approaches and to a better understanding of the opportunities for aquaculture products in the Adriatic market.

- Bio-economic assessment and decision support

Sustainable aquaculture also depends on understanding its economic performance. MARINET developed a bio-economic approach to assess the costs and benefits of fish farming and to support decision-making.The results provide a basis for evaluating the economic sustainability of aquaculture activities and identifying opportunities for more informed investment and management decisions.

CLUSTERS AND HUBS

Sustainable aquaculture requires cooperation across borders, sectors and areas of expertise. MARINET therefore promotes dialogue and collaboration between research organisations, aquaculture SMEs, stakeholders and public authorities in Italy and Croatia.This section collects the resources supporting cross-border cooperation, stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue, including activities involving national regulatory authorities and the development of recommendations for the future of Adriatic aquaculture. These resources highlight the importance of connecting knowledge, experience and decision-making to create a stronger and more coordinated aquaculture sector across the Adriatic region.

- Policy dialogue and cooperation

The sustainable development of Adriatic aquaculture requires cooperation between researchers, businesses, stakeholders and public authorities. MARINET created opportunities for dialogue with national regulatory authorities to discuss challenges, share project knowledge and identify recommendations for the future development of the sector. This section provides access to the results of this dialogue and the recommendations developed through the consultative process.
 

DIGITAL TOOLS

Digital innovation is one of the key pillars of MARINET. This section presents the digital solutions developed and tested by the project to improve monitoring, data management, risk assessment and decision-making in aquaculture. The Library includes the Progressive Web Application (PWA) for real-time monitoring and data management, the artificial intelligence-based risk assessment system and the integration of the bio-economic model into the digital environment. These tools are designer to transform data into useful information, helping aquaculture operators better understand farm conditions, anticipate risks and support more informed and sustainable decisions.

- Aquaculture data repository

Reliable data are essential for understanding the health and environmental conditions of aquaculture farms. MARINET developed a structured repository bringing together information on Operational Welfare Indicators (OWIs), diagnosed diseases and environmental conditions collected during the project. The repository provides an important knowledge base for the development of digital monitoring and risk assessment solutions.

- Progressive Web Application

MARINET developed a Progressive Web Application (PWA) to support the real-time monitoring and management of fish welfare, health and environmental data.
Accessible through mobile and desktop devices, the application provides a secure digital environment where farm users can enter and manage their data, supporting more efficient monitoring and more informed decisions.

- Artificial intelligence for risk assessment

The MARINET project combines aquaculture data with artificial intelligence to support the early identification and management of disease risks. The AI-based real-time risk assessment system uses data collected through the project's digital environment and other relevant sources to identify potential risks and support timely action, helping reduce the potential economic impact of disease outbreaks.

- Bio-economic model

The project also connected technological innovation with economic assessment by deploying the bio-economic model within the project's digital environment. The integration of the model into the PWA provides users with a digital tool for combining technical and economic information and supporting decision-making in fish farming.

TRAINING, SKILLS AND AWARENESS RAISING

Innovation can only create lasting change when knowledge is shared and new solutions are understood and adopted by the people who use them.This section brings together the training, knowledge-transfer and awareness-raising resources developed by MARINET. These include stakeholder training activities on the use of digital tools, SME advisory meetings, knowledge-transfer events and materials designed to support the uptake of new approaches in aquaculture.The resources provide practical opportunities to learn from the project's experience and to support the transfer of knowledge, technologies and good practices across the Adriatic aquaculture sector.
 

- Deployment and adoption of digital tools

The development of innovative digital solutions is only effective when these tools can be understood and adopted by their intended users. MARINET therefore supported the operational deployment of the PWA and organised stakeholder training activities to demonstrate its functions and potential benefits. These activities helped connect technological innovation with the practical needs of aquaculture operators.

- Advisory support for SMEs

SMEs are central to the uptake of innovation in the aquaculture sector. MARINET organised dedicated advisory meetings and workshops to discuss the potential application of new tools and approaches for fish farming and to connect project results with the practical needs of businesses.

- Knowledge transfer and stakeholder engagement

Sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for direct exchange are essential for turning research results into practical solutions. MARINET organised knowledge-transfer activities to present project findings, demonstrate new approaches and facilitate exchanges between researchers, aquaculture operators and other stakeholders.