Local community
The society around the farm
Aveiro is a city in Aveiro Municipality in Portugal, with a total area of 199.9km², a total population of 78,463 inhabitants, and 61,430 electors (2006). It is the second most populous city in the Centro Region of Portugal, after Coimbra. However, the city of Aveiro together with neighbouring Ílhavo, make one conurbation which has a population of 119,258 inhabitants, making it one of the most important by population density in the Centro Region.
The municipality is composed of 12 parishes (freguesias), and is located in Aveiro District and the chief city of Baixo Vouga. The seat of the municipality is the city of Aveiro, with about 73,003 inhabitants in the 5 urban city (cidade) parishes. Located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, Aveiro is an industrial city with an important seaport. The city of Aveiro is also the capital of the District of Aveiro, and the largest city in the Baixo Vouga intermunicipal community subregion.
Aveiro is also known as "The Portuguese Venice", due to its system of canals and boats similar to the Italian city of Venice. The city is also famous for its production of salt and for its seaweed harvest, which is used for fertilizer in the area [Source: Wikipedia, Crest of Aveiro from Sérgio Horta ].
The Aveiro region has a long tradition in maritime activities (salt extraction, cod fishing and processing, seaweed harvesting, ship building and more recently aquaculture). These activities have suffered a reduction over the last decade. Consequently, there are many areas of production currently unexploited.
ALGAPLUS is
contributing to the reactivation of these areas with a new and
sustainable activity. Moreover, working under the IMTA concept,
ALGAPLUS provides an environmental service to the fish farms and
promotes the differentiation and consequent valorization of the fish
produced therein. In the long term, ALGAPLUS hopes to contribute to
the development of an economically and environmentally sustainable
aquaculture in the region.