Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), approved last June, “will transform the Portuguese economy,” said Ursula von der Leyen during the official ceremony. The reforms and investments planned for 2021-2026 constitute an unprecedented EU response to the COVID-19 crisis and will allow Portugal to emerge stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the future. We have an opportunity ahead of us that, if well exploited, can have a positive impact on the gross domestic product (1.4-2.4%) and allow the recovery of 50,000 lost jobs. According to the EU president, “the implementation of this ambitious program will be a challenge,” but it will be up to us to apply these funds responsibly to highly innovative projects, generating products and services capable of catapulting our companies to increasing competitiveness in international markets. Portugal approved a Collaborative Laboratory dedicated to the blue bioeconomy (B2E CoLAB) that supports two of the sectors with the greatest growth potential: biotechnology and aquaculture. Previous efforts over the past decades have failed to boost these sectors, which are still lagging behind. Portugal’s PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) could be a unique opportunity to develop knowledge-based solutions to shape a new blue bioeconomy driven by Industry 4.0 automation and data exchange technologies.

Global human protein consumption is expected to double by 2050, with marine-based proteins gaining an increasing market share. Aquaculture has the potential to meet this protein challenge by producing nutritious and safe food, while biotechnology can produce high-value biomass (algae, yeast, bacteria) or bioactive compounds for high-quality feed, food, or other applications. Portugal needs to boost these sectors, leveraging emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, promoting vertical integration that involves the entire value chain to sustainably produce healthy, value-added products, associated with an ethic of consumption, strengthening economic and social resilience.

The next European Aquaculture Society event will be in Portugal (Funchal, October 4-7) and everyone is invited to participate, visit the B2E CoLAB stand and, above all, promote the exchange of knowledge!

Luísa Valente is an Associate Professor at ICBAS – University of Porto, a member of the Board of Directors of CIIMAR, a member of the Board of Directors of B2E CoLAB and a member of the Board of Directors of the European Aquaculture Society.