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Call key data

Demonstrating feasibility and environmental benefits of regenerative ocean farming and boosting algae innovation (Topic 2)

Funding Program

European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund

Call number

EMFAF-2025-PIA-FLAGSHIP-OCEANFARMING

deadlines

Opening
26.09.2024

Deadline
18.02.2025 17:00

Funding rate

70%

Call budget

€ 1,900,000.00

Estimated EU contribution per project

between € 700,000.00 and € 1.000,000.00

Link to the call

ec.europa.eu

Link to the submission

ec.europa.eu

Call content

short description

This call topic aims to support the development of regenerative ocean farming by proving its feasibility and viability and generating knowledge on the environmental benefits including by testing these approaches, as far as possible, in connection with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). It further aims to promote innovation in algae by supporting the development and bringing to market new algae-based products and services, thus offering new green employment opportunities.

This topic is specifically targeting the EU Member States, notably in sea basins where regenerative ocean farming is not currently developed, such as the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Call objectives

This topic will focus on:

  • Setting up and operating ocean farms across various EU marine regions and measuring and quantifying environmental benefits of regenerative farming of either local seaweed species or seaweed in combination with shellfish;
  • Testing and demonstration of innovative algae-based products and services to bring them closer to market.

Proposals are expected to cover one or both of the above priorities.

If projects collect in-situ marine observation data, beneficiaries must make them openly available through the European Marine Observation and Data network (EMODnet), based on FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) principles.

Expected effects and impacts

Applicants will describe in their proposals the concrete and measurable results within the duration of the project and their expected impact, including indicators for the monitoring and measurement of progress. The project activities should result in:

  • Demonstrated viability of regenerative ocean farms, particularly in connection with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
  • Increased knowledge and awareness of the environmental benefits of regenerative ocean farming.
  • A strengthened business case for algae-based products and services.
  • Increased knowledge on the needs and challenges for regenerative ocean farming and innovation in algae in the EU.
  • Increased awareness among coastal communities of the opportunities offered by regenerative ocean farming, including social acceptance.
  • New opportunities for jobs and growth in regenerative ocean farming and the algae sector.

Expected results

Projects should carry out as many as possible of the following activities. The list is non-exhaustive and proposals may include other relevant activities that meet the themes and priorities of the call topic.

For regenerative ocean farms:

  • Preparatory activities for the set-up of regenerative ocean farms.
  • Activities to install and operate regenerative ocean farms.
  • Establishment of baseline environmental data in the farm site.
  • Measurement and analysis of the environmental impacts/benefits of regenerative ocean farming.
  • Development of recommendations to optimise regenerative ocean farming practices.
  • Activities to promote the benefits of regenerative ocean farming and/or algae-based products and services.
  • Activities to assess and test the viability of regenerative ocean farming in connection with marine protected areas (MPAs).
  • Carrying out awareness-raising campaigns and activities to increase social acceptance e.g. among local communities and youth by sharing experience and evidence of the positive impacts of regenerative ocean farming.
  • Identifying enabling and/or inhibiting legislative frameworks and engaging with local authorities and authorities responsible for maritime spatial planning to remove barriers (e.g. licensing of farms, access to space) and find solutions for the set up and operation of regenerative ocean farming without affecting other aspects of ecosystem conservation/restoration.

For algae innovation:

  • Development, testing and demonstration of new and innovative algae-based products and services.
  • Activities to support the market readiness of the new products and services, e.g. business and investment planning, marketing, IP registration.

For all projects:

  • Activities to engage and network with local stakeholders and communities.
  • Coaching, training and other activities to promote entrepreneurship.
  • Matchmaking activities to promote interactions and synergies across sectors, e.g. algae and shellfish farming.
  • Providing technical and policy feedback on the challenges, opportunities and needs to develop regenerative ocean farming and boost algae innovation in the EU.

read more

Eligibility Criteria

Regions / countries for funding

EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT)
Moldova (Moldova), Georgia (საქართველო), Morocco (المغرب), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна)

eligible entities

Education and training institution, International organization, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)

Mandatory partnership

Yes

Project Partnership

Proposals must be submitted by a consortium, which complies with the following conditions:

  • Minimum two participants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from minimum two different EU countries.
  • Minimum one private sector participant active in ocean farming and/or algae sectors.
  • The coordinator must be established in an EU Member State.

Applicants are encouraged to ensure a balance of partners from public, private, academia/research, civil society, NGOs, coastal communities and local partnerships.

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

  • be legal entities (public or private bodies)
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • non-EU countries that are part of the EU sea basin strategies targeted in this call for proposals: Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey; Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya.

Specific cases:

Exceptional funding — Entities from countries mentioned in the work programme (if any) are only exceptionally eligible, if the granting authority considers their participation essential for the implementation of the action.

Natural persons — Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of self-employed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).

International organisations — International organisations are eligible. The rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.

Entities without legal personality — Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.

EU bodies — EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.

Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. Please note that if the action will be implemented by the members, they should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible).

other eligibility criteria

Financial support to third parties is not allowed.

Geographic location (target countries):

Proposals for Topic 2 must relate to activities concerning one of the following sea basins/areas: Black Sea, Baltic Sea, North Sea, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea basins as well as the EU Outermost regions marine areas.

Additional information

Topics

Air Quality, Biodiversity & Environment, Climate & Climate Change, Water quality & management

Relevance for EU Macro-Region

EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region

UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)

project duration

between 24 and 36 months

Additional Information

Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (accessible via the Topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section. Paper submissions are NOT possible.

Proposals (including annexes and supporting documents) must be submitted using the forms provided inside the Submission System ( NOT the documents available on the Topic page — they are only for information).

Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:

  • Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants (future coordinator, beneficiaries and affiliated entities) and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
  • Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
  • mandatory annexes and supporting documents (to be uploaded):
    • detailed budget table: not applicable
    • CVs of core project team: not applicable
    • activity reports of last year: not applicable
    • list of previous projects: applicable

Proposals are limited to maximum 60 pages (Part B). Evaluators will not consider any additional pages.

Call documents

EMFAF-2025-PIA-FLAGSHIPEMFAF-2025-PIA-FLAGSHIP(972kB)

Contact

EMFAF
+32 2 299 11 11
Website

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