Aquaculture Demonstration Centres (ADCs) are one of the GFCM’s most important tools for promoting sustainable aquaculture in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. These centres act as specialized hubs where the sector can share knowledge, promote technical cooperation and increase stakeholder capacity at a subregional level. Specifically, they function as technical units tailored to the features of each subregion, aiming to fulfil the following objectives:

1. Further scientific research and innovation.
2. Provide hands-on technical and technological support.
3. Showcase best practices in aquatic food production.
4. Advance education and increase stakeholders’ skills, focusing in particular on women, youth and small-scale farmers.
5. Promote collaboration and partnerships.

The ADCs are open to all aquaculture stakeholders and play a unique role given the increasing importance of aquaculture in blue transformation and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The first two ADCs were established in the Black Sea: the Grigore Antipa National Institute for Marine Research and Development (NIMRD) in Constanta, Romania for shellfish; and the Central Fisheries Research Institute (CFRI) in Trabzon, Turkey for finfish. Following their success and in light of requests made by member countries, the GFCM has also established the first Mediterranean Aquaculture Demonstration Centre in Alexandria, Egypt, with the support of the project Marine Aquaculture Development in Egypt (MADE II) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. The GFCM also plans to continue establishing more in the region in the years to come, including in Tunisia.