Nowadays, there are no information on the best physical-chemical and microbiological conditions to develop aquaculture activities in the Portuguese estuarine systems. Also, there are no identification of the best potential areas of aquaculture in terms of the species with high commercial value.
This proposal aims to contribute to the growth and development of aquaculture activities in Portuguese estuarine systems by identifying and evaluating high impact areas for exploration, through the development of high resolution biophysical models to map physical-chemical and microbiological variables per commercial specie. High resolution biophysical models implemented for the Portuguese estuarine systems will be used by the University of Aveiro modelling team. The innovation of this proposal rely on the integrated modelling approach used to map physical, chemical, and microbiological variables. This will allow to establish, on a local scale, Suitability Index Classes for species with high commercial value, and providing this information through a Web GIS environment to local aquaculture companies and also for the general public. All the data resulting from this proposal will be available on aquaculture web sites, and will allow to increase the available knowledge on high potential areas and species to explore in national estuarine systems. The main results will be transferred from the scientific and academic community to the aquaculture industry, allowing a more effective evaluation and mapping of aquaculture areas, as well as the identification of ideal conditions for different species growth, which will increase the income and production of this activity in order to achieve the main objective of the nº214/2016 ordinance for the 2025 quota of aquaculture production in Portugal.