Proposals should demonstrate solutions for increasing circularity by the production of low-emission, zero- or low-carbon and toxic-free farming of aquatic organisms in an optimally used marine space. They should test and demonstrate novel aquaculture methods and techniques, spanning from engineering and robotics to breeding, and from spatial planning to a holistic governance of multiple maritime activities. They should include viable concepts for market access and commercial operation, and outreach to consumers and investors, to avoid that innovative solutions stop operating once grant funding stops. Proposals should also explore options for creating eco-friendly and sustainable artificial reefs in or near the wind energy and aquaculture premises, offering suitable habitats and shelter for fish and other biota. Proposals should also work on approaches for efficient and cost-effective monitoring of both the inputs of the aquaculture industry (such as water quality) and its outputs (such as emissions, including the reporting requirements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). In particular, proposals should focus specifically on developing data-based management systems that offer services, including risk analysis, to individual aquaculture producers for monitoring and minimizing diseases and alien species, managing inputs, optimizing sustainable production and demand management.

Proposals should include case studies in promising sites both in the Baltic Sea and in the North Sea. At least one case study in each proposal should include a commercially viable pilot farm for seaweeds within wind farms. Additionally, at least one case study in each proposal should include a commercially viable pilot farm for molluscs within wind farms.

Proposals must:

• Carry out demonstration activities in 3 different countries of the Baltic and North Sea basin, involving and including in the consortium partners from these three countries;
• Identify areas and locations where the solutions are replicable and draw up an action plan and roadmap to replicate and scale up the pollution solutions and actions.

Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The financial support to third parties may only be awarded to local and/or regional authorities from an ‘associated region’. The maximum amount to be granted to each “associated region” is  €100,000, to showcase the feasibility, replicability and scale up of the solutions developed in the “associated region” within the project.