The Blue Bioeconomy ERA-NET Cofund (BlueBio) was launched in December 2018. For almost seven years, it has provided coordinated research and innovation funding to reinforce Europe’s position in the blue bioeconomy.
BlueBio built on the ERA-NET COFASP (Cooperation in Fisheries, Aquaculture and Seafood Processing) and ERA-NET MarineBiotech (Marine Biotechnology), bringing together 30 partners from 17 countries alongside the European Commission. In spring 2024, after the conclusion of the ERA-NET Cofund, JPI Oceans took over coordination and communication services for the still ongoing projects from BlueBio’s 1st and 2nd Additional Call in collaboration with the Research Council of Norway.
Across four different calls, BlueBio funded 49 projects. Each call required the participation of industry partners, ensuring results moved towards tangible products and higher technology readiness. Beyond funding, BlueBio also produced guidelines on commercialisation and encouraged stronger links among projects, helping to build a more connected European research community in the blue bioeconomy. Moreover, the Cofund placed strong emphasis on human capacity building, notably through targeted webinars and specialised training courses aimed at students and early-career professionals.
On 17 September 2025, the end-term meeting of the 2nd Additional Call took place at the JPI Oceans Secretariat in Brussels. The event provided a platform for the seven projects to present their results, demonstrate how circular bioeconomy models are being applied in practice, and connect with upcoming funding opportunities.
Presentations from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, and the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking highlighted how lessons from BlueBio will inform remaining research gaps and potential topics for future calls. Partners from research and industry emphasised that continuity of funding is essential to further develop projects and bring products closer to market.
The seven concluding projects explored new solutions for aquaculture, fisheries, seafood products and sustainable practices:
- BIORAS-SHRIMP developed bio-secure, land-based shrimp aquaculture systems that reduce waste and recycle nutrients through integrated bio-systems.
- BIVALVI advanced selective breeding and production systems for bivalves such as Manila clams and blue mussels, including models to reduce inbreeding risks.
- SeaSoil assessed seaweed as a sustainable fertiliser alternative in agriculture while addressing challenges of toxic elements like arsenic and cadmium.
- BlueGreenFeed created circular feed systems by converting land-based resources such as grass and feathers into insect protein for aquaculture.
- ImPrESsiVE valorised seafood side streams from pelagic fish and crustaceans to extract bio-active compounds with commercial potential.
- EuFish_SustainableGrowth developed innovative food and feed products from underutilised fish species to diversify and strengthen European seafood markets.
- RightFish demonstrated reduced fuel use, emissions, and seabed impacts of trawl fisheries through improved gear designs tested in the Mediterranean and the North Sea.
The Brussels meeting did not only mark an ending but also the beginning of a transition. Results from the 2nd additional call were presented by JPI Oceans during the 52nd SCAR FISH meeting on 3 October 2025 to further develop collaboration, exchange information, and support a European research area for fisheries and aquaculture. As the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership and other European initiatives move forward, they will carry the Cofund’s insights, methods, and tested models into the next stage, building upon the processes, expertise, and community built by BlueBio.