Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ) has engaged in the AQUA-LIT project funded by the European Union, aiming at providing the aquaculture sector with a toolbox of preventive measures for averting the discard of litter in the marine environment.

Considering that aquaculture is the fastest growing food-producing sector with an expansion rate of 8% per year, it is now the time to act in order to prevent the increase of marine litter and to support the removal of the already existing one.
Thus, the AQUA-LIT project is working on finding solutions and measures for preventing, reducing, removing and recycling marine litter coming from the aquaculture sector in the Mediterranean, North Sea and Baltic regions.
To achieve this, we believe it is essential to work and cooperate with the entire range of aquaculture stakeholders.
The North Sea Learning Lab “How can the aquaculture sector contribute to reducing marine litter?” will take place on 26 November at the Conference Hall of the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Oostende, from 9:00 to 14:00.

In order to directly involve stakeholders in the process and get their valuable insights and contributions, the lab will be an interactive workshop where participants will work in groups to identify and assess solutions and methodologies from three perspectives:

The Lab will offer many opportunities for discussion, brain-storming, knowledge transfer, bright idea exchange and networking. Its outcomes will contribute to the next step of the project, which is the development of a toolbox of tangible solutions and measures enabling the aquaculture sector to tackle marine litter and they will be communicated to the European Union.

Please find the programme of the Learning Lab here.
Deadline to register and confirm your attendance is 15 November 2019.
For further information please contact Fien De Raedemaecker : fien.deraedemaecker at vliz.be