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This regional round table workshop focused on Blue Economy and Blue Biotechnologies
for the Adriatic and Ionian macro region, bringing together participants from
Albania, Greece, Slovenia, Italy, Croatia and Spain, along with representatives
from research institutions, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,
private companies and NGOs.

This is the first of a series of workshops ACEPSD is organising at national level. The workshop aims to raise awareness on the Blue Economy and Blue Biotechnologies, while presenting the latest developments and results of the 2B-Blue Project.

This hybrid event will bring together Albanian stakeholders attending in person, while project partners will join online.

During the event, the following topics will be addressed:

• Presentation of Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development and its experience in national and international projects;
• Overview of the 2B-Blue Project, including objectives, activities, and main achievements;
• Presentation of the Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) concept and its implementation in the Bay of Vlora;
• Introduction of a questionnaire-based survey to be completed by workshop participants as part of the awareness campaign.

The event provided an effective platform for knowledge exchange among academic institutions, researchers, students, and project partners, strengthening collaboration toward the development of a sustainable Blue Economy in Albania.

The involvement of students was highlighted as a key outcome, with the recognition that they can act as junior ambassadors to further disseminate knowledge and promote Blue Biotechnology initiatives across the country.

Discussions during the workshop emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation with governmental institutions and national stakeholders to support
the scaling-up of IMTA technology in Albania. In this regard, the planned future T-Lab event in collaboration with the Albanian Development Fund is expected to serve as an important opportunity to address regulatory, technical, and institutional aspects related to the wider adoption of IMTA systems.
Furthermore, the potential collaboration with relevant units of the Academy of Sciences of Albania working on water resources was identified as a valuable step toward addressing water pollution issues and evaluating their potential impacts on human health. The distribution of project analyses and recommendations in both Albanian and English contributed to strengthening stakeholders’ understanding of the strategic framework required for advancing Blue Biotechnology and the Blue Economy in Albania.

The introduction of the evaluation questionnaire, developed by ACEPSD in cooperation with the University of Murcia and the National Institute of Biology Slovenia supported the collection of feedback and helped identify participants’ interest in future engagement with IMTA-related initiatives.

• Overall, the workshop fostered strong interest among participants and reinforced the importance of continued collaboration between research institutions, universities, and international partners. The positive feedback received from representatives such as Amelia Canovas from the University of Murcia and Professor Elisabetta Bonerba from the University of Bari highlighted the relevance of the initiative and the potential for future cooperation.
• In conclusion, the workshop demonstrated the growing commitment of national and international stakeholders to support innovation, policy development, and capacity building in Blue Biotechnology and sustainable aquaculture, laying a solid foundation for future activities and long-term collaboration in Albania and across the Mediterranean region.
  

This video was produced during the preparations for the Awareness Campaign “From Sea to Solution: Building the Mediterranean Blue Future”. It was produced by Iris Event & Marketing based on the provided matherials by Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (ACEPSD). This video was presented to the pubblic on 30 March 2026 at the Academy of Sciences of Albania building, in Tirana, Albania.

This video was produced after the preparations for the Awareness Campaign “From Sea to Solution: Building the Mediterranean Blue Future”. It was produced by Iris Event & Marketing based on the provided matherials by Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (ACEPSD). This is the Albanian version of the video presented to the pubblic on 30 March 2026 at the Academy of Sciences of Albania building, in Tirana, Albania.

The Awareness Campaign Workshop, organized within the framework of the 2B-BLUE project, was held at the University “Luigj Gurakuqi” in Shkodër, bringing together representatives from academia, NGOs, and key stakeholders in the fisheries from Shkoder Region. The event aimed to promote the development of Blue Biotechnology and foster dialogue on sustainable blue economy practices in Albania and the wider Mediterranean region. The workshop opened with welcoming remarks from the Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (ACEPSD), represented in this regard by Rigers Bakiu (project manager of ACEPSD in 2B-BLUE project) and the hosting university (represented by Adem Bekteshi, full professor in this University), highlighting the importance of collaboration between research institutions and civil society in advancing sustainable marine resource management. A presentation by Silvia Durmishaj Bakiu (ACEPSD executive director) outlined its role within the 2B-BLUE project, emphasizing its experience in environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable aquaculture.Additionally, the ADRISMART project was presented by Prof. Adem Bekteshi as a complementary regional initiative aimed at advancing smart and sustainable marine aquaculture in the Adriatic through innovation, cross-border cooperation, and the use of advanced technologies such as AI-based monitoring systems. The event concluded with a roundtable discussion titled “Community Blue Dialogue”, which facilitated direct engagement among stakeholders from fisheries management organisation Shkoder, students, researchers and County of Shkoder as representative of local authorities. Discussions focused on challenges and opportunities related to the blue bioeconomy, climate change impacts, and the future of sustainable aquaculture in the region of Shkoder and Albania.

This video was produced during the preparations for the Awareness Campaign “From Sea to Solution: Building the Mediterranean Blue Future”. It was produced by Iris Event & Marketing based on the provided matherials by Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (ACEPSD). This video was presented to the public on 7 May 2026 at the University of Vlora building, in Vlora, Albania.

The workshop in Vlora City (organised by ACEPSD at the University of Vlora) also presented the main findings of the “Analyses and Recommendations on Blue Economy and Blue Biotechnologies in Albania.” This assessment highlights the country’s strong potential for growth in aquaculture and Blue Biotechnology, while identifying key challenges, including limited infrastructure, the need for innovation support, and stronger collaboration between academia and industry. The recommendations emphasize targeted financial support, improved environmental safeguards, and enhanced regional cooperation to ensure sustainable and competitive development. Interactive sessions, including a questionnaire-based survey and a roundtable discussion (“Community Blue Dialogue”), encouraged active stakeholder participation from Vlora DMO, Experts about Marine Conservation (PPNEA-Vlore, CERCI, CELIM), Agency of Coastal Areas and University of Vlora with exchanges of perspectives on sustainable aquaculture, blue biotechnology development, and climate change challenges.

The last 2B-Blue Awareness Campaign Workshop “FromSea to Solution - Building the Mediterranean Blue Future”, held at Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës on 18 May 2026, brought together researchers, institutions, stakeholders, and community representatives to promote sustainable blue economy development and blue biotechnology solutions in Albania. Organized within the framework of the Interreg Euro-MED 2B-Blue
Project, the workshop highlighted innovative approaches to marine sustainability, environmental governance, and regional cooperation. Further contributions from Aleksandër MoisiuUniversity of Durrës showcased achievements within the BLUE ECOSYSTEM Interreg Euro-MED project, emphasizing the importance of research, innovation, and stakeholder collaboration in advancing sustainable blue economy practices. The workshop concluded with stakeholder discussions, awareness activities, promotional presentations by ACEPSD, and community dialogue involving representatives from portsa and coastal municipalities of Durres and Kavaja, reinforcing the importance of regional cooperation and public engagement in building a sustainable Mediterranean blue future.

The marine (blue) biotechnology sector can have a significant impact on the environment, human wellbeing and economic growth, however in the Mediterranean basin it is currently in its infancy. Hence, the creation of innovation communities is of high priority to advance in this field. The 2B-BLUE project (supported by Interreg Euro-MED) supports the creation of blue biotechnology networks accross the Mediterranean. Six countries (Albania, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain) reppresenting the project piloted the blue biotechnology value chains by creating public-private partnerships to test and develop new technologies.
This video shows how to create such partnerships and how to replicate our good practices. We present these case studies:
1. Albania: innovative integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems (fish, mussels, pearl oysters and sea cucumbers)
2. France: microalgae cultivation for food and other industries
3. Greece:

a) integrated sea cucumber and mussel farming,

b) floating microalgae cultivation
4. Slovenia:

a) microalgae cultivation,

b) integrated sea cucumber and mussel farming,

c) valorization of marine biomass
5. Spain: bioremediation through algae cultivation
The video is a part of 2B-BLUE (Boosting the Blue Biotechnology community in the Mediterranean) Interreg Euro-MED project, co-financed by the European Union.

The 6th Steering Committee and Final Event marked the conclusion of the 2B-BLUE project, bringing together key stakeholders to review achievements, discuss future collaborations, and promote sustainable blue economy and blue biotechnology initiatives in the region.

Overfishing, climate change and pollution are depleting fish populations and threatening marine biodiversity. At the same time growing inequalities push small-scale fishers to the brink. The current system fails to balance economic needs with environmental protection, deepening both ecological and social crises. One thing is certain: there can be no fishing without fish.

The future of fisheries lies in fair, low-carbon, low-impact fishing that brings social, environmental and economic values into balance.

This vision calls for a transformation of European fisheries that conserves biodiversity, restores ecosystem functions, upholds social justice, and ensures that marine space and resources are shared fairly.

Shifting from destructive fishing practices to low impact and economically viable fisheries requires a just transition, which provides support for those most affected by change.