Our Approach

AquaSpace uses a case study approach in order to identify constraints to aquaculture in a wide range of contexts, scales and production types.

We work in marine and fresh water environments from northern Europe to the Mediterranean, Portugal to Hungary, North America to China.

At our 16 case study sites across the globe, we are working with stakeholders to identify key planning issues for aquaculture development and map these constraints against a wide variety of tools and spatial planning methods.

We are evaluating all kinds of tools used to facilitate the aquaculture planning process.  We will assess the effectiveness of these tools in collaboration with local stakeholders, at a variety of scales and in different environments, with a range of space-related development constraints.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

We work with stakeholders at the local level to ensure that we can focus on the real and often complex issues which affect aquaculture development.

Outcomes from the case studies will lead to a set of evaluated tools for facilitating the aquaculture planning process by overcoming present constraints.

Our ambition is that the evaluation of all these tools and concepts, placed in a user-friendly toolbox, will directly benefit policy-makers, planners, industry and society.

The aquaculture industry, planners, regulators and policy-makers are key users of the AquaSpace outputs. This website will also act as a free and accessible resource for wider society.