Objectives

1/ To validate a methodology for the establishment of a framework for European, national and regional mollusc producer organizations to have better access to the outputs of EU and national research and to communicate their future research priorities. This will benefit scientists to elaborate their research programs and both parties to evaluate the impacts and benefits of research to producers.

2/ To consolidate the outcomes of the regional workshops and develop guidelines for facilitating knowledge transfer based on best-practises throughout Europe while assessing the options for integration of the shellfish community (science and producers) into EATIP and better cooperation with the FLAGS of the FARNET.

Description of work and role of partners

In February 2012, the EU-funded AQUAINNOVA initiative (improving governance and supporting EATIP) has organized a workshop for the shellfish sector in Bordeaux. This resulted in stakeholders agreeing on a vision for the sector, as well as a prioritization of core objectives under different themes that are relevant for the sector (consumers, production, and society). The outcomes of the AQUAINNOVA workshop will provide a major input into the first EUROSHELL event, where the partners will meet over two days to construct a framework for dialogue that will be tested in the regional workshops of WP5.

 The framework will include clear and common methodology for the delivery of research outputs to the sector, as well as the structural pathways by which individual SMEs can communicate research needs to researchers and also be involved in research, using the various tools and funding schemes that are available to them.

The detailed questions to be addressed are:

- What can be learnt from the past?

- How are they expressed?

- How are they prioritized?

- How can these best practices be applied to a methodological framework aimed at accelerating innovation and sustainable development through knowledge transfer?
 The two first months of EUROSHELL, draft questionnaires and template will be available. They will be prepared under the responsibility of the EDC and its members (1, 2, 3, 9, 13) under the coordination of DLO leader of WP and then circulated at the level of the other partners (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18) for improvement and validation with their experiences and practices in the Member States. The 3 axes for a shellfish business leader will be taken into account to characterize these needs: the company and its environment, its product and its market. This approach is absolutely necessary to prepare the work in the WP3. For this purpose the EMPA will give a strong support to the members involved in a close relationship with the WP leader. Each partner retains control of its own budget travel and accommodation at the two seminars. For other participants in these seminars, the partner AC2G (partner 15, specialist of event organization) brings to the consortium its expertise in matters of organization and logistics (room reservation, hotels, food, travel of attendees, translation...). A first stakeholders’ consultation will be organized for a presentation and exchange of views. This step will be used to validate the methodology to apply the next months of EUROSHELL by its members. A second seminar will be held shortly before the end of the EUROSHELL project to validate the results before they are presented to the European Commission in the final minutes.

Over the last three months of EUROSHELL, the focus will be on producing a clear set of operating guidelines and recommendations that will achieve the core objectives of EUROSHELL, notably:

• Enhancing the integration of knowledge into the production cycle and production chain of the main cultivated species; on the basis of WP 3, the dissemination of results of on-going and past projects, also including the integration of practical knowledge from the industry, will be evaluated and needs and opportunities for improvement will be identified.

 • Assessing the current structural organization that links knowledge to practice and identifying solutions that will address structural difficulties; based on the strengths and weaknesses of the structure of the industry in relation to the application of research outcomes, as identified in WP4.

• Identifying and prioritizing gaps and needs for knowledge transfer in support to the shellfish production sector. On the basis of WP 5 the main fields of transfer needs will be evaluated in relation to the strategic vision and the time scheme of the research roadmap.

• Identifying visions for the European shellfish industry and incorporate these into a research roadmap. On the basis of the methodological considerations validated at the first step of this work package and the outcomes of the regional workshops (WP 5), the main strategic issues of the European shellfish industry will be identified and coupled with the needs for research as discussed in the workshops, aiming at a consistent and comprehensive research program.

The tasks of this WP build upon the outcomes of the other WPs and the WP leaders will actively participate in WP 2. All the members of the consortium will be associated at the different step of this WP: drafting and validating. Invited experts from outside the consortium (EATIP, shellfish experts, experts on dissemination and outreach in the agriculture sector, FARNET animators...) will provide further input, especially at the time of the two stakeholders’ consultations. The experiences of the Fisheries Knowledge Groups, FLAGS and comparable structures will be evaluated to identify existing practices and evaluate pros and cons in relation to the targets of the EUROSHELL project. This is the basis for developing best practice recommendations and rules for knowledge transfer and use between science and industry and vice versa. The many reports on the transfer of knowledge in agriculture through a network of extension will be also reviewed.
 The methodology will also include a quality approach to ensure continuous improvement and will define the tools required for its implementation.
 To incorporate all of the points of view, environmental and consumer NGOs representatives will be invited to participate in the work (EDBC and BEUC).

For a logical implementation of the work, the work package is organized in the following tasks:

T2.1: Validating the methodology (month 1 to 16) :

The synthesis of the consultation will help the leader (DLO, partner 13) with the help of the coordinator (CNC, partner 3) to draft:
 - templates for the work package 3 ‘reviewing the current knowledge’ so that each research program identified can be synthesized and displayed on the web,
 - templates and questionnaires for the work package 4 ‘tools for an extension network’ so that production areas, professional organizations, research bodies and technical centers can be clearly identified, displayed and geo-localized on the web,
 - guidelines for ‘Knowledge transfer’ so that the main aspects of an extension network can be described: principles for a strategy of implementation, profile of workers, principles for training courses, decision-making aspects of which the financial feasibility.
 This task will be realized in strong collaboration with the members of the Executive and Drafting Committee. (partners 1 to 14 and 16 to 18)
 

T2.2: First stakeholders’ consultation (meeting at month 2) hypothesis and documents built in the first task will be presented, discussed and validated with representatives of the Industry, Research and Local development. Relevant representatives of other countries not members of EUROSHELL will be invited by the consortium to the work (Greece, Portugal, Denmark, and Norway) as stakeholders. External input from advisor (European Commission, Member-States, FARNET experts, Local community, other sector of activity such as agriculture) will ensure a more transversal analysis of the sector needs and a better consensus on the way to how organizing the work. (partners 1 to 15)

 T2.3: Second stakeholders’ consultation (meeting at month 15) results of WP3, 4 and 5 will be presented and discussed for the preparation of the next 2 tasks (recommendations for an extension network and the contribution of the shellfish farming sector to EATIP) (Partners 1 to 15). Relevant representatives of other countries not members of EUROSHELL will be invited by the consortium to the work (Greece, Portugal, Denmark, and Norway) as stakeholders.

 T2.4: Recommendations for an extension network (month 16) (profile of extension workers, guideline for training courses, strategy of implementation of an extension network, recommendations for financing an extension network). These recommendations will put in perspective the scenarios in short and medium terms described in chapter B1.2. They will also define the procedures necessary to allow EUROSHELL members, future extension workers as well as any other persons interested to report and describe new research project and its results. This task is realized by the EDC members (partners 1, 2, 3, 9 and 13).

 T2.5: Contribution of the shellfish farming sector to EATIP (month 17) transmission to EATIP of key elements that can contribute to an updated vision for the shellfish farming sector and for the strategic research agenda. This task is realized by the coordinator and EMPA (partners 1 and 3).