The BeBlue plenary forum in Koper brought together experts, stakeholders, and fishermen for the presentation of project results
On Thursday, 12 June 2025, the plenary forum titled “Aquaponic Products: Quality and Market” was held in the Mediterranean Garden Purissima, hosted by project partner KZ Agraria Koper, as part of the European project BeBlue (Interreg VI-A Italy–Slovenia).
The event brought together experts, project partners, and numerous coastal fishermen who identified important opportunities for the further development of sustainable fisheries and aquaponics in the topics presented.
Forum highlights
In the opening part, representatives of the partner organisations – Shoreline soc. coop., KGZS Zavod Kranj, University of Ljubljana – Biotechnical Faculty, Ca’ Foscari University, and Legacoop – presented the main results of the project.
Professor Roberto Pastres (Ca’ Foscari) presented a digital model for the planning and management of aquaponic systems, enabling economic and environmental analysis through an intuitive user interface.
Dr Janja Rudolf (University of Ljubljana) introduced an economic calculator that allows for a quick cost estimate for developing an aquaponic system.
Andrea Fabris (API) provided an overview of the European political framework for aquaculture, highlighting the importance of the EMFAF and pointing out the regulatory gap that still exists in the field of aquaponics.
Participatory methods and SWOT analysis
The conclusion of the morning session was led by Marco Francese (Shoreline), who presented examples of stakeholder involvement within the BeBlue project, including the World Café method, information stands at fairs, and meetings with investors.
During the final interactive session, participants evaluated 42 thematic groups, formed based on 557 stakeholder contributions, through a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Stakeholders who could not attend the event will be invited to complete the questionnaire at a later stage.
The forum in Koper was the last plenary event of the BeBlue project, dedicated to dialogue with local producers and consumers. The final event of the BeBlue project is scheduled for 2 July 2025 in Venice, at the headquarters of the lead partner Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
The event was held bilingually, with simultaneous translation and the support of moderators, ensuring equal participation for both Slovene- and Italian-speaking attendees.
