1. Galway Declaration: Aquaculture Working Group
Dr. Jay Parsons, Director
Ingrid Burgetz, National Manager
Aquaculture, Biotechnology, Aquatic Animal Health Science Branch
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
March 27, 2015
Opportunities for Research and Innovation Collaboration in
Marine and Arctic Science with Europe Meeting

2. Introduction
One of the themes under the Galway Declaration is Aquaculture
Initial formation of an EU-US-Canada Aquaculture Sub-Working Group with representatives from the EU Fisheries Commission, US NOAA, and DFO
The first action was an EU-organised Workshop on Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture (October 2014)

3. Outcomes
It is expected that cooperation among the EU, the US, and Canada will:
increase scientific knowledge for the implementation of an ecosystem approach to aquaculture, and
will provide technologies and engineering solutions for monitoring and mitigating the impacts of aquaculture on the environment.

4. Key Priorities Three key priorities have been identified based on
points emerging from the presentations, discussions and
which are currently subject to bilateral collaborations.
The priorities share the common goals of
supporting managers,
helping producers reduce risk, and
enabling and developing sustainable aquaculture.

5. Priority 1: Progressing models from scientific to operational status
Both regulators and industry would like to access modelling tools that help evaluate risk and enable development of sustainable aquaculture.
Specific topics for collaboration include:
a. Tools for impact assessment
b. Tools for risk assessment of escapees;
c. Tools for improved spatial planning
Models which are currently used mainly by scientists, often more to illustrate their potential role in regulation rather than for regulation itself, must therefore move closer to practitioners.
Specific topics for collaboration include:
(a) Tools for impact assessment requested by industry (perhaps a further development of the FP6 ECASA approach); this should include sea lice and other parasites, but also a range of other aspects;
(b) Tools for risk assessment of escapees: there is a body of work from all parties on this issue, with models such as OMEGA and AquaTrace, and there is clear scope for broader collaboration;
(c) Tools for improved spatial planning: these must include not only Geographic Information Systems, but also dynamic and network models dealing with connectivity (e.g., FARM model, DEPOMOD, AquaModel), to address issues such as carrying capacity, impacts to benthic environments, water quality, food depletion, and disease.

6. Priority 2 - Improvement and integration of monitoring systems
Environmental monitoring for aquaculture is a fundamental element for dealing with risk.
Specific topics for collaboration include:
a. Monitoring environmental effects of aquaculture
b. Monitoring environmental effects on aquaculture,
c. Technological development in biosensors;
d. Linkage of monitoring to hypothesis-testing.
It also provides confidence in the model outputs, and thereby helps both their use and their improvement.
Specific topics for collaboration include:
a. Monitoring environmental effects of aquaculture, e.g., parasite distribution, escapees, and introgression;
b. Monitoring environmental effects on aquaculture, e.g., systems for Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB); performance with respect to climatic variability (this links to Priority 3);
c. Technological development in biosensors;
d. Linkage of monitoring to hypothesis-testing.

7. Priority 3 - Adaptive strategies for dealing with climate change and other environmental impacts
Climate change will affect aquaculture both by shifting the spatial boundaries for cultivation of particular species, and by increasing environmental variability.
Climate change will affect aquaculture both by shifting the spatial boundaries for cultivation of particular species, and by increasing environmental variability.
Specific topics for collaboration include:
a. Changes in patterns of HAB occurrence, including species shifts and changes in frequency and duration, e.g., work on data mining of long-term HAB records from different regions;
b. Physiological changes in farmed aquatic species, including stress-induced changes in growth, spawning of invasive species (e.g. Pacific oyster), and in susceptibility to disease (e.g. fish disease);
c. Emerging diseases that may be enhanced due to climate change, e.g., become widespread in new areas, and/or more frequent, virulent, etc.;
d. Tools and strategies to minimize impacts from HABs, pathogens/parasites, climate change and other factors on aquaculture operations.

8. Priority 3 continued Specific topics for collaboration include:
a. Changes in patterns of Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) occurrence
b. Physiological changes in farmed aquatic species
c. Emerging diseases that may be enhanced due to climate change;
d. Tools and strategies to minimize impacts from HABs, pathogens/parasites, climate change and other factors on aquaculture operations.

9. Modalities for future cooperation
1- Information sharing
1.1- Collating information on existing cooperation between partners and with EU Member States and Associated States (top-down)
1.2- Publishing together (bottom-up)
2- Exchange of best practices
2.1- Organisation of thematic workshops (bottom-up)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION
Among the mechanisms and instruments discussed to further implement the three priorities, the following have been listed
In a first step, the following actions are proposed (to be agreed with NOAA and DFO):
1- Information sharing:
1.1- Mapping on existing cooperation between partners and with EU Member States and Associated States (top-down)
Proposed action:
Identification of existing cooperation activities between partners
1.2- Publishing together (bottom-up)
Identification of possible publications by the partners
2- Exchange of best practices
2.1- Organisation of thematic workshops
The aquaculture WG will identify a series of workshops which are considered very useful to structure the network, facilitate exchange of best practices and further elaborate common work. The workshops should ideally be organized back to back with international conferences
3- Alignment the planning and programming of research activities
3.1- Twining of on-going or new research projects (top-down)
Proposed action
Each party will provide a list of potential projects/programmes to be twinned
3.2- Exchange and training of students and scientists (top-down)
To be discussed
3.3- Opening national research programmes/calls to third countries in particular Horizon 2020 calls, NSF? (top-down)
Each party will investigate possible calls of interest

10. Modalities for future cooperation
3- Alignment the planning and programming of research activities
3.1- Twining of on-going or new research projects (top-down)
3.2- Exchange and training of students and scientists (top-down)
3.3- Opening and encouraging participation of international partners in national research programmes/calls in particular Horizon 2020 calls, NSF.

11. Way Forward Canadian Aquaculture Working Group will be established:
self identified persons
willingness to explore and/or identify new or existing opportunities for cooperation with the EU and/or US.
establish a tentative roadmap for 2015/16.
EU, US, and Canada SubWorking Group:
Ongoing discussions to identify existing collaborations, develop a road map, and establish thematic workshops

12. Report on Ocean Literacy to Passports for Partnerships : From Galway Implementation Meeting February 23, 2015
Anne Stewart , Co-lead for Ocean Literacy,
Galway Canadian Marine Working Group.
Director, Canadian Network for Ocean Education, (CaNOE).

13. Acknowledgements and thanks
Organizers of Passports for Partnership
Marine Resources Unit of the Bio-economy Directorate , European Commission (EC) Directorat-General for Research & Innovation
National Marine Educators Association (NMEA)
Northwest Aquatic & Marine Educators (NAME)
Canadian Network for Ocean Education (CaNOE)
European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA)
College of Co-Exploration
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Foreign Affairs , Trade & Development Canada
Many diverse “players” with different interests in ocean literacy

14. Context
Ocean Literacy is all about understanding the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean.

15. Conceptual Framework
The Ocean Literacy Principles refer to these seven essential principles of ocean science. The conceptual structure is built on these principles. Goal is to engage an ocean literate society within and beyond the classroom.

16. EU Context
Impetus from EU to reach agreement can be found in their Action Plan for a Maritime Strategy in the Atlantic
EU recognizes Blue Growth as an economic driver with great potential for innovation and ocean literacy is part and parcel.

17. Follow-up Activities to Galway Statement
Transatlantic Ocean Literacy (TOL) Workshops
Plymouth, UK, 2013 (Report & Vision Statement published)
Goteborg, SW, 2014 (Report & TOL Implementation Plan published. Consensus to adopt the Ocean Literacy Principles.)
EC Horizon 2020 calls for proposals, Blue Growth (BG) BG-13 and BG-14

18. In plenary, Gaelle LeBouler, EC reported for Paula Keener NOAA (grounded by blizzard)
BG-13 thirteen proposals received, two progressing to project stage - April 16 launch
Sea Change Marine Biological Association (MBA) (UK)
ResponSEAble University of Brest (FR)
BG-14 Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Coordination and Support Action (AORAC-SA) Marine Institute), (IE)

19. Fiona Crouch, MBA presented on Sea Change
Consortium of 17 European/International Organizations including UNESCO/IOS, Ciência Viva, European Marine Board, CEFAS, AQUATT, NUIG, UGOT, VLIZ, ECSITE etc.
Focus on links between human well-being and ocean health through education, engagement, governance
Goal: change European’s relationship to ocean and empower sustainable activity towards healthy seas.

20. Sea Change continued Use social change methodologies, change agents,
embed across networks & established strategic initiatives
Build on what has been done, evaluate on sustainability,
effectiveness, efficiency
Leave a legacy to continue beyond project life & ensure
more active role of citizens
Dissemination & communication in coordination with
ResponSEAble

21. Denis Bailley, U.Brest on ResponSEAble
15 partners, a mix of large research groups, NGOs and enterprise
Map links between society & benefits of the sea as well as society’s influence on the sea
Use social science to see what works in a cost-efficient way
Produce ocean literacy products and good communication (Live-lab tested)

22. Peter Hefferen, Marine Institute, Galway
AORAC-SA (BG14)
Governance, coordination and communication
Work closely with other OL projects to meet the
Galway agreement
Enable society to be able to ‘see into the water’
Specific work package on OL led by Ciência Viva
First event planned for Lisbon, June 5th
In concert with Blue Economy with a special
edition of Economist planned
• Want to change perspectives

23. There are more questions than answers about where this is going
There are more questions than answers about where this is going. It is still ‘early days’.
Foregoing is not an official transcript or minutes,
they are just my notes.
Please contact me with comments, suggestions
or interest in advancing ocean literacy in Canada
astewart.bamfieldATgmail.com

24. Opportunity for Canadians to pull together for ocean literacy.
You are invited to the 1st Conference on Ocean Literacy in Canada, Vancouver, June
Canadian Network for Ocean Education CaNOE
Call for presentations, posters, early-bird registration, travel bursaries
Recruiting for CaNOE Board (specifically for francophones from la belle province).