Final Conference in Lecce e Ston: "Generation Sea – Youth Entrepreneurship and the Future of Aquaculture" and “Protecting the Biodiversity and Sustainable Acquaculture Future”
06/08/2026
On Friday, July 3rd, the final conference titled "Generation Sea – Youth Entrepreneurship and the Future of Aquaculture" took place at the University of Salento’s Rectorate. It was an international event featuring the project's Italian and Croatian partners; the day was filled with authoritative presentations and fostered dialogue among the academic, business, and institutional communities regarding the challenges and opportunities facing the aquaculture sector in the Adriatic Sea.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from the Pro-Rector of the University of Salento, Professor Salvatore Rizzello, and the Deputy Mayor of Lecce, Roberto Giordano Anguilla. They were followed by presentations from Professor Benedetto Sicuro (Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin); Professor Maurizio Pinna (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento), the scientific lead for the BlueDiversity project; and Dr. Raffaele Parlangeli, Director General of the Office for Territorial Policies and Territorial Cooperation at the Department for Cohesion Policies (Presidency of the Council of Ministers).
For institutions, researchers, businesses, and industry stakeholders, the event served as a significant opportunity for dialogue and discussion aimed at developing shared strategies for the sustainable future of marine biodiversity and exploring opportunities within the aquaculture sector. Key topics addressed included generational renewal in marine aquaculture, challenges associated with its development, business prospects for the sector in the Salento region, career opportunities for science graduates, extensive aquaculture in Southern Italy, and new challenges regarding sea urchin production.
Speakers included Dr. Andrea Fabris (Scientific Director of the Italian Fish Farmers Association), Dr. Marco Pistrin (AquaOrganica Srl), Dr. Amedeo Manfrin (Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie), Dr. Aldo Rheo (Rehomare Srl), and Prof. Aldo Corriero (University of Bari), as well as sea urchin farming experts—entrepreneur Dr. Ronan Loftus and researcher Ashey Norris.
Ample space was dedicated to presenting the concrete, significant, and scalable results achieved by the project in over two years of cross-border cooperation between Italian and Croatian partners.
The conference sparked a lively debate, thanks to the active participation of the large audience present.
The process of dialogue and information sharing continued on July 9, 2026, in Croatia—at the Duke's Palace in Ston—where the second final conference titled “Protecting Biodiversity and Sustainable Acquaculture Futures” took place, focusing on the results of Italian-Croatian cooperation for a sustainable future for the Adriatic.
The event brought together key insights on marine conservation, sustainable mariculture, and coastal management across the Adriatic.
Key topics covered during the day included:
● invasive species management: strategies and trapping recommendations for controlling the atlantic blue crab in Mali Ston Bay and the Neretva Delta;
● sustainable aquaculture & circular economy: research into integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) and circular practices in mariculture;
● marine protection: marine litter assessments, underwater cleanups, and transcriptome analysis of pollution impacts;
● community & education: launching interregional e-learning platforms, educational toolkits, and new 'Blue' tourist routes;
A massive thank you to all lead partners, speakers, and public institutions who contributed to making this cross-border cooperation a success!
Watch the video featuring highlights from the conferences via the link next to it!
