Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences  Professor Zheng Zhiling and Dr Peter Heffernan CEO of the Marine Institute meet during the Chinese delegation visit to the Marine Institute

The Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS) Professor Zheng Zhiling, and colleagues from the Yellow Sea and East China Sea Fisheries Research Institutes, met with scientists from the Marine Institute in Galway last week to identify areas for joint research and staff collaborations and exchanges.

The group discussed areas for collaboration in seafood safety including research on marine biotoxins and predictive modelling of Harmful Algal Blooms, viruses and bacteria in shellfish, as well as chemical contaminants in seafood.

 Dr Heffernan explained, “We were delighted with this opportunity to discuss joint research projects in shellfish safety, and also identify opportunities to partner on applications for European and international funding for example, through the EU’s upcoming Horizon 2020 programme and the next Chinese 5-Year Plan. We also had important discussions about our respective marine environment and food safety monitoring programmes”

Dr. Peter Heffernan, CEO Marine Institute, and Liu Qing, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Bejing last year during a trade visit to China with Mr. Simon Coveney T.D., Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine.The MOU aims to enhance cooperation in relation to Fishery science and technology .

The partnership stems from the Action Plan on Mutual cooperation in the Agri food and Fisheries sector signed by Minister Coveney and the Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture Niu Dun in 2011.

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