On September 18, 2024, the Open Day of the TransformAr Project took place at the Villagarcía de Arousa Auditorium, bringing together close to 35 key stakeholders from the mussel and clam productive sectors, research institutions, socioenvironmental organizations, and government bodies. The hybrid event aimed to present the results of various climate change adaptation solutions tested within the Galician demonstration site, particularly focused on mussel farming and clam harvesting.

The day began with an inaugural address by Mr. Alfonso Villares Bermúdez, Conselleiro do Mar (Regional Ministry of Galicia), followed by a welcome and an outline of the day’s objectives by Lucía Fraga Lago, head of the training area from CETMAR. They emphasized the importance of collaboration to drive adaptation efforts in Galicia’s bivalve mollusc production management.

Next, Amaya Soto Rey from CETMAR provided the audience with an overview of the TransformAr project, its motivation, and its core activities. She outlined how the project fits into the broader European efforts to address climate risks and foster resilience in coastal regions. She explained the action plan construction process and summarised the activities developed by the Galician demonstrator.

Following this, Xosé Antón Álvarez Salgado from IIM gave a presentation on the scientific context, focusing on the climate risks facing the mussel and clam sectors in Galicia. He highlighted the increased vulnerability of these industries due to rising sea temperatures, changing wind and coastal circulation patterns linked to the Galician upwelling, and other environmental stressors associated to climate change.

After a coffee break and a group photo, the event moved into its central component: the Round Table on Climate Change Adaptation Solutions for Mussel Farming and Clam Harvesting in Galicia.

The roundtable brought together Silvia Torres (CETMAR), Ana Bernabeu (University of Vigo-GEOMA), Andrea Ogando (University of Vigo-REDE), and Gonzalo López-Santos Rubal (Regional Ministry of the Sea) to present and discuss the key solutions being implemented in the Galician demonstration.

– Silvia Torres introduced the Mussel Raft Monitoring (MRM), which supports data-driven decision-making by providing real-time environmental data. This system aims to facilitate mussel farmers to respond quickly to local climate-induced changes.

– Ana Bernabeu followed with the INTERM model, developed to predict sediment dynamics in Galicia’s rías. This model is essential for understanding how shifts in sediment behaviour can affect coastal ecosystems and shellfish cultivation, particularly for clam beds.

– Andrea Ogando then presented the result of the Resilience Index for mussel aquaculture, a strategic tool that helps stakeholders assess their capacity to adapt to climate change. The index is aimed at identifying vulnerable areas in mussel farming and guiding strategic adaptation measures.

– Finally, Gonzalo López-Santos Rubal, Vice-director of Aquaculture of the Regional Ministry of the Sea, shared insights into how the regional government is addressing climate risks in the aquaculture sector. He highlighted the policy measures being implemented to support adaptation and expressed confidence that the solutions presented, would enhance decision-making at both the operational and governmental levels.

The debate session that followed allowed participants to reflect on how these tools can be integrated into policy and practice, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in co-developing solutions for the challenges ahead.

In the interactive session on perception and impact, attendees participated in a Q&A session, where they provided their thoughts on how these solutions could address current and future challenges in aquaculture. A key theme that emerged was the need to strike a balance between innovation, technology, and proactive policymaking to ensure sustainable practices.

The event concluded with Lucía Fraga Lago presenting the next steps for the TransformAr project. She noted that the project would continue to disseminate and transfer these solutions and the action plan in coordination with other on-going and future programmes and strategies.

A highlight of the day was the light-hearted moment during the group photo session, where participants juggled instructions from both a regular camera and a drone, making for a fun and slightly chaotic experience!

The event attracted considerable media attention, with several news outlets covering it, including television news broadcasts and radio segments. The presence of the Conselleiro do Mar, Alfonso Villares Bermúdez, was a key factor driving this wide coverage.