A report undertaken by the AZTI-Tecnalia technological centre in cooperation with researchers from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Tecnalia Research & Innovation and IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), is synthesised existing information on climate change observed in and forecast for the Basque Country and the southeast of the Bay of Biscay, in order to better predict the impact of future changes along the coast and in the marine environment. The report, falling within the remit of the Basque Government-financed K-Egokitzen project, points to a gradual increase in the air and water temperatures and in the sea level, as well as to an intensification of strong episodes of precipitation and heat waves. The study was published recently by the Climate Research journal, a publication of international reference in climate matters.

The aim of the research was to find out the impact of climate change along the coast of the southeast sector of the Bay of Biscay, as well as how this affects the biodiversity of pelagic systems; i.e. those out at sea and at 200 metres depth. One of the most striking conclusions makes reference to the significant loss of littoral due to the rise in sea level of between 29 cm and 49 cm over the XXI century, according to the researchers' estimates. The coastal areas most affected by this rise will be low-lying zones, mostly beaches and with retreats of up to 40% in their width in the case of the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, and at urban areas around estuaries.

As sea level rises, salt marshes and mud flats will suffer a natural migration towards the interior. This migration will be limited by various infrastructure elements along the coast, such as dykes, breakwaters, ports and other structures.

The research showed, moreover, a warming of the surface air - that between the sea surface and 1,000 metres altitude - and a greater frequency of so-called heat waves. Climate change will also affect rainfall; episodes of heavy daily precipitation will intensify - by up to 10%.

The ecosystems of pelagic and coastal waters will also be affected by the warming of the oceans - by a rise of up to 2ºC down to the first 100 m of water and by variations in the flow of rivers and the Bay. This fact will give rise to modifications in the marine biodiversity, which will affect plankton and benthos - on the ocean bed - and, in consequence, fishing.

This study falls within the remit of the K-Egokitzen project, the aim of which is to analyse the impact of climate change in the Basque Country and evaluate the required measures to be adopted. The K-Egokitzen project was co-financed by the Basque Government's Department of the Environment, Land Planning, Agriculture and Fisheries and the Department of Industry and Innovation, through the ETORTEK programme.

Translation: Basque Research

The Office for Fishery Resources and Aquaculture of the General Secretariat for the Sea, pertaining to the (Spanish) Ministry of the Environment and the Rural and Marine Environment, and in accordance with the agreement signed with AZTI-Tecnalia, has commissioned this technological centre to undertake three scientific surveys in 2011. First of all, they will carry out the scientific coordination of the various plans of the Autonomous Communities (the political territories within the Spanish state) for the recovery of the eel, in order to draw up a joint state-wide plan for this species. In another survey planned for this year, AZTI-Tecnalia will monitor the presence of black halibut in the Svalbard archipelago, located in the Glacial Artic Ocean. Finally, this autumn they will also undertake a new survey to measure the biomass of young anchovies in the Bay of Biscay (Juvena).

In the first of these surveys, the AZTI-Tecnalia specialists will fulfil an important role in creating a state-wide plan to enable the survival and growth of the European eel in Spanish rivers and on the coasts. The work of this technological centre will consist of coordinating the various Autonomous Communities' plans regarding this species, in order to achieve a coherent and unified scientific approach.

As regards the monitoring studies of the black halibut in the Svalbard archipelago, the technological centre will undertake the research required for calculating the biomass of black halibut on board commercial vessels. The results of the study will be passed to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO).

The agreement between the General Secretariat at the Department of the Marine and AZTI-Tecnalia also includes the research body carrying out a fresh survey this autumn to measure the biomass of young anchovies in the Bay of Biscay. The technological centre has been carrying out this ("Juvena") survey, with the support of the Basque Government, since 2003, being one of the fundamental indicators for the estimation of the total anchovy biomass.

According to the agreement reached, the Ministry of the Environment and the Rural and Marine Environment will provide AZTI-Tecnalia with a budget of 176,000 euros over the current year in order to carry out the above-mentioned activities.

Translation: Basque Research

El Departamento de Medio Ambiente, Planificación Territorial, Agricultura y Pesca del Gobierno vasco convocará, a partir de este próximo mes de septiembre, 16 becas por valor de 800.000 euros para la formación de especialistas en Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación con el objetivo de dotar de jóvenes investigadores y tecnólogos especializados y garantizar "el futuro de nuestro sector primario".

Con esta iniciativa, se pretende aportar a los sectores agrario, pesquero y alimentario recursos humanos especializados, que animen a desarrollar nuevos aspectos tecnológicos y diversificación en un mundo en el que los mercados resultan cada vez más competitivos y complejos.

De las 16 becas convocadas, nueve son para la realización de tesis doctorales en los centros tecnológicos AZTIy Neiker, en la UPV/EHU y en la Universidad de Mondragón (Basque Culinary Center), y siete para la formación de técnicos especialistas que se desarrollarán en diversas empresas de los sectores agrarios, pesqueros y alimentarios de la Comunidad Autónoma Vasca.

Las becas para la realización de estos doctorados tienen una duración de cuatro años, mientras que las de formación de jóvenes especialistas -tecnólogos- son de dos años.

Según ha recordado el Departamento de Planificación Territorial, Agricultura y Pesca del Gobierno Vasco, "las marcas de calidad de los productos alimentarios vascos son una buena base para la rentabilidad y la inserción en el mercado, pero necesitan de tecnología, innovación y desarrollo investigador para avanzar con firmeza en el mercado global".

Por ello, el Gobierno vasco defiende que mientras se financian proyectos de I+D+i a partir de diferentes programas subvencionales, "es necesaria la especialización de jóvenes para garantizar el futuro de los sectores vinculados con la alimentación, siendo este programa de formación una pieza fundamental en la dotación de nuevos recursos humanos para el sector".

Para el ejercicio 2011 se convocan 7 ayudas del programa destinado a jóvenes investigadores en formación y 9 ayudas para el programa de formación de jóvenes tecnólogos en el entorno científico-tecnológico y empresarial del sector agropesquero y alimentario vasco.

Convocatoria de ayudas de formación a jóvenes investigadores y tecnólogos para 2011. Orden de 18 de julio de 2011, de la Consejera de Medio Ambiente, Planificación Territorial, Agricultura y Pesca del Gobierno Vasco.

AZTI-Tecnalia, the technological centre specialised in marine and food research, is carrying out research into exploiting by-products derived from the processing of citrus fruits and from wheat in order to create new food products and feed for aquaculture. This research is being undertaken within the remit of a consortium of companies and technological centres in Europe and India and financed by the 7th European Framework Programme.

The project, known as NAMASTE, is one of the principal cooperation programmes between Europe and India in matters of food research. Its main aim is to develop innovative and sustainable strategies that can be applied industrially in order to give value to by-products derived from the processing and treatment of citrus, mango and pomegranate as well as wheat and rice bran, through their conversion into natural ingredients and bioactive moleculesto be used in the development of new food products and feed for aquaculture which can be marketed on the European and Indian markets in the future.

The NAMASTE project also supports the exchange of knowledge and methodologies between the consortium of companies and European and Indian technological centres. This relationship augments the interaction between researchers from different countries and sets out an appropriate framework for the generation of joint-ventures amongst companies from India and Europe. Food safety and care for the environment are other goals of the programme, in which scientists will evaluate the chemical and microbiological quality of new products developed, as well as the economic and environmental sustainability of the processes employed in the transformation of the by-products.

The European companies and technological centres making up the NAMASTE project, led by the University of Bologna (Italy), are: the Institute of Food Research (United Kingdom), Campden BRI (Hungary), Agrotechnology and Food Innovations (Holland), Grupo Leche Pascual (Spain), J. Rettenmeier & Söhne (Germany) and the Basque research company AZTI-Tecnalia. In a parallel manner, in India, another work group has been set up, made up of companies and technological centres that work closely with the mentioned European bodies. The activities planned for the programme started in 2010 and are to finish at the beginning of 2013.

Avoid them being treated as waste

Every year, the world food industry generates millions of tons of by-products derived from the processing and manufacture of vegetables. Only a small part of this is employed in obtaining new products - the rest is considered to be waste, with the concomitant negative impact on the environment. The plant sub-products are highly unstable, mainly due to oxidation and microbiological deterioration. Thus, AZTI-Tecnalia and the other partners in the project consider it of great importance to put technologically and economically viable strategies into place in order to transform these materials into added value foodstuffs and animal feed, thus enabling avoiding these being treated as waste and, thereby, increasing the sustainability and the competitiveness of both the Indian and the European food industry.