Aquaexcel: 6th call for Transnational Access (TNA) is now open

On a regular basis, the Aquaexcel project invites proposals from European research groups for scientific research that utilises the facilities of any of the participating Aquaculture Research Infrastructures. The Aquaexcel project unites major aquaculture experimental facilities with capacity to undertake experimental trials on a selection of commercially important fish aquaculture species and system types. These facilities are made available to the research community for Transnational Access (TNA) with the support of the European Union 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (Infrastructures).

The facilities available cover the entire range of production systems (recirculation, flow‐through, cage, hatchery and pond systems); environments (freshwater and marine, cold, temperate and warm water); scales (small, medium and industrial scale); fish species (salmon, trout, sea bass, sea bream, cod, common carp etc.); and fields of expertise (nutrition, physiology, health and welfare, genetics, engineering, monitoring and management technologies).

The overall objective of the Aquaexcel project is to promote the coordinated use and development of these top class experimental facilities and encourage problem‐based research and knowledge transfer to more effectively support the development of a sustainable European production of high quality seafood with reduced environmental impact.

Interested researchers can propose projects that involve visits of one or in some cases two people to the chosen Research Infrastructure for periods of up to 3 months. The use of the facilities (excluding any additional costs) is covered through Aquaexcel partner funding and the associated travel and subsistence expenses for the visiting scientist(s) will be paid through the host institution, according to their internal rules for reimbursement.

Current status (October 2013): The 6th Call for Access is open, with a deadline of 13th December 2013.