GDYNIA MARITIME UNIVERSITY BECOMES NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE COOL BLUE FUTURE PLATFORM
Gdynia Maritime University has assumed the role of National Coordinator of the COOL BLUE FUTURE PLATFORM https://coolbluefuture.org. The platform operates within the framework of the COOL BLUE BALTIC project (COmmunity Ocean farms and Local Business cLUstErs in the BALTIC Sea) implemented by the Gdynia Maritime University Maritime Institute in cooperation with its sister project COOL BLUE NORDIC.
The international project COOL BLUE BALTIC (Community Ocean Farms and Local Business Clusters in the Baltic Sea) has been implemented for over a year by Gdynia Maritime University in cooperation with its partners from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania under the framework of the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
The aim of the COOL BLUE BALTIC (CBB) project is to investigate and present practical examples of ecosystem restoration, effective business models and social innovations to support changes in the core activities of future fishermen and farmers in order to diversify their income through involvement in regenerative ocean farming (ROF), which is based on targeted environmental processes supported by zero-input aquaculture, e.g., multi-trophic aquaculture. The cultivated species do not require external inputs such as feed, fertilizers or antibiotics. Therefore, they contribute to beneficial ecosystem changes by increasing biodiversity, CO2 storage, and water quality.
The COOL BLUE BALTIC and COOL BLUE NORDIC projects assess the interest and capacity of potential stakeholders in creating new ROF locations through practical workshops, co-creating a framework for permanent cooperation (Key Exploitable Results - KER) and developing measures to monitor the impact of ROF on Baltic aquatic ecosystems. The CBB project will also include events in partner countries to initiate a grassroots international movement that puts coastal communities at the centre of the ecological restoration of ROFs. Furthermore, the project results are intended to support the capacity of public authorities to provide communities with free access to coastal areas, making the management of MPAs and community-led local development fully synergistic and job-creating.
We invite all stakeholders in the maritime, fisheries, and aquaculture sectors to share their experiences and actions promoting regenerative practices in their businesses by completing the online form: https://coolbluefuture.org/pl/pledge/. Your contributions will enrich our collective knowledge and inspire others.
Gdynia Maritime University Maritime Institute
Offshore Centre
https://coolbluefuture.org/pl