The Centre for Aquaculture Competence will operate in the premises of the KU Business Incubator. It already boasts abundant advanced equipment: that was taken care of by the Klaipėda Science and Technology Park which, together with partners from abroad, takes part in the project InnoAquaTech. The infrastructure cost about 100,0000 euros, and part of the required funds were received from the EU.
“The Centre for Aquaculture Competence equipped with contemporary technologies will serve as a platform for the adoption of the knowledge and technologies enabling higher competitiveness of the aquaculture industry. For the purpose, the conditions for conducting research, the possibility of modelling aquaculture systems, and bringing together specialists and enterprises to generate new busness models are crucial”, said Roma Stubrienė, the head of the Klaipėda Science and Technology Park.
One expects that the Centre for Aquaculture Competence will be attended both by aquaculture specialists and the young generation, i.e. students of marine and engineering programmes who are interested in accumulating as much practical experience as possible. “The Centre for Aquaculture is a new quality standard in our university. It is important for young people to get acquainted with the operation principles of actually functioning systems as early as possible, therefore, we have no doubts about the necessity and usefulness of the Centre”, emphasised prof. dr. Artūras Razbadauskas, Rector ad interim of KU.
In cooperation with scientists from KU and abroad, the first experiment was launched in the centre: the project includes industrial shrimp farming. The KU Business Incubator is expected to produce about 400 kg of crustaceans and to accumulate valuable experience to be shared with companies wishing to engage in a business still new for Lithuania.
Eight big containers are prepared for shrimp farming. A closed type system installed in the experimental infrastructure is water-saving and very environmentally friendly.
