CAPS project improves knowledge and skills of Croatian Veterinary Institute (CVI) - Regional Veterinary Laboratory Split delivery in order to provide better scientific support to food production in aquaculture. By implementation of new clinical and genetic analysis for fish and mollusc diseases and by improving the analysis in food safety, the project enables better and more successful production of safe food in aquaculture. CAPS stimulates the sharing of knowledge with aquaculture producers and consumers using GIS platform and finalizes activities to increase food safety and risk analysis. 

Objective of the project

is to support fish and molluscs Croatian farmers in producing and trading fish and molluscs products, through the improvement of the production quality and safety in compliance with EU provisions. 

The establishment of a Center for aquaculture production and safety, providing scientific support services to farmers and farmer associations, is the cornerstone for the project's objectives achievement. The project is implemented in the following counties: Dubrovačko-neretvanska County, Šibensko-kninska County, Split-dalmatian county and County of Zadar.

The Aquaculture Center will be established at the Croatian Veterinary Institute - Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Split and it will provide diagnostic, analysis, training and consultancy services for aquaculture farmers. This Center will involve activities in its national and international experts (from IZSA & M and OIE Collaborative Center) on fish / molluscs diseases, food safety, GIS (Geographic Information System is a system for managing the spatial data), risk analysis and EU legislation .

The Center will carry out all the activities in strict collaboration with both aquaculture farmer associations and Croatian veterinary authorities.

Within the above framework the objectives of the CAPS project are:

·  Improvement of diagnostic services for aquaculture by farmers implementation of clinical and genetic analysis based on risk analysis methodologies on selected fish / molluscs diseases and on the main seafood safety problems in the chain from production to final consumers.

· Creating a GIS application with the data on fish / molluscs health and safety, legal provisions on fish / molluscs products, as well as risk assessment studies in relation to the international trade.

· Generating new knowledge and the application of the same in order to adjust to EU regulations, as well as better organization of the institutions and Inspections liable for the official food control. 

· Promoting the transfer of knowledge and experience (know-how) and research practices among international communities involved by project such as Zooprofilittico Istituto Sperimentale Abruzzo and Molise (IT) and CEFAS Center for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences-(UK) in order to share and enhance knowledge in prevention and therapy of fish and mollusc diseases and main co-ordinating the programs of supervising, controlling and managing the risk in food production.