Aquaculture is a self-sustainable industry that demonstrates a high potential for innovation and technology development, and should thus cater for its own R&D needs, aided by National research programmes and general Community incentives like the SMEs research funding. There is also a clear need for scientific support of EU-wide aquaculture aspects within the CFP, like health and environmental issues.
Aquaculture research must find its place in the 6th EC Framework Programme for research (FP6). This presentation gives an account of the possibilities for aquaculture research under FP6.
Under the Sixth Framework Programme, research in aquaculture is covered by Thematic Priority 5 “Food quality and safety”, the SME-specific measures, and Priority 8, “Scientific support to policy”.
Under  priority 5, issues related to the quality and safety of aquaculture products, relying on fully controlled and integrated production systems, are eligible.
The SME-specific research actions are designed to solve technical problems of SMEs by means of research and innovation and are therefore very appropriate for aquaculture.
The objectives of policy-oriented research under Priority 8 are to support the Common Fisheries Policy including issues related to the improvement of health and environmental standards of aquaculture production.