Objectives

To test the framework proposed in work package 2, the tools in work package 4 and give SMEs the opportunity to provide input on future vision and strategic research priorities for the sector.

Description of work and role of partners

Regional shellfish producers’ organizations meet on a regular basis to hold their Assembly and to discuss important issues for the sector in their area or zone. Rather than relying on ‘remote tools’ such as questionnaires or other, that do not favor two-way communication, or to organize stand-alone workshops that may not attract the key stakeholders, a series of regional mini-workshops will be developed that are linked to the Assemblies and which test the proposals for implementation of an extension network. This WP is therefore logically coordinated by EMPA (partner 3) in transverse way and each professional partner in its Member State (partners 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, 18). The RTD partners (partners 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) in Member State support the local professional partners and participate in the corresponding mini-workshop. The work is made of 6 tasks as follow. It is planned to hold these consultation workshops in the key areas of production across several countries:

 Task T5.1: 3 regional workshops in France – through the 3 Regional Committees of the CNC in Brittany, Charentes-Poitou and Méditerranée, (partners 1, 9, 16, 17 and 18)

Task T5.2: 1 regional workshop in Ireland – through the Irish Farmers Association (ISGA/IFA), (partner 6 and 12)

Task T5.3: 1 regional workshop in Italy – through the Mediterranean Association for Aquaculture (AMA) (partner 5 and 11)

Task T5.4: 1 regional workshop in The Netherlands – through the Producers’ Organization Mosselcultuur (POM) (partner 7 and 13)

Task T5.5: 1 regional workshop in Spain – through the Council of the Galician Mussels (CRMG) (partner 4 and 10)

 The actual timing and planning of these events, over the short period of time foreseen by the proposed duration of the project, will be a function of the planned dates for the Assemblies of these organizations. Time will be limited, but will be used to:
 • Present and validate with producers the planned extension methodology
 • Identify the vision (through a participatory exercise, such as used in the AQUAINNOVA workshops, where producers vote for scenarios and a consensus view is reached)
 • Prioritize the key goals for each production sector in the Thematic Areas proposed in work package 3
 • Identify the local structures (EMPA POs and FARNET FLAGS) that can enact the extension network.
 Not all partners will of course be present in all workshops, but the main RTD, PO and SME partners will be present, allowing for discussions to be held in the language of that country, and hence facilitating exchange.

Task T5.6: The conclusions of the mini-workshop is transmitted to EMPA (partner 3) that will make a synthesis that it communicates to WP2 and WP3 leaders (partners 2 and 13) so that they can integrate the findings into their respective work. The WP4 leader (partner 9) is kept informed to integrate the relevant remarks in its graphical interface.

Task T5.7 : The coordinator (partner 1), in a strong relation with EMPA (partner 3) will identify, with the help of FARNET, 2 or 3 EFF FLAG interested to test the tools and host an embryo of extension workers through existing person and budget. The professional partners of EUROSHELL (partners 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17 and 18) will also be associated to this crucial step. Some of them could also be interested to host some extension workers at this test step.