Gather fundamentals and create your future at Aqua Vision 2008
Aqua Vision is a world-class aquaculture conference that attracts a diverse range of stakeholders to Stavanger every two years. It is happening again this September and you are invited to register at www.aquavision.org.
Scheduled from September 29 to October 1, this seventh Aqua Vision brings a wide range of speakers from all continents and with a great combination of information and opinion. Every one of the 18 speakers from seven countries will provide valid input for decision makers to take back and integrate in their strategy development, no matter where they act in the aquaculture value chain.
One of the features of Aqua Vision conferences is the outstanding quality of its delegates, who readily compare with the speakers in specialist knowledge and industry insights. The contacts you can make over three days in Stavanger can be highly valuable for the future of your business. Delegate registration is already exceeding levels of previous conferences and looks to pass the 2006 level of 470 delegates.
Great theme, great speakers
The theme for AquaVision 2008 is ‘Know the fundamentals — Create your future’ and the programme divides in two halves to match.
Most fundamental of all, raw material prices have driven up costs for all protein producers, on land or in water. Though they may be easing, they remain at historical highs and increasing demand from emerging economies means they are likely to stay there. In the keynote presentation, Rabobank will reveal findings from a raw materials report, prepared together with the universities of Stavanger and Rhode Island, USA. The report focuses on the impact of the rapid rises in global commodities on the economics of producing land animal proteins and proteins from aquaculture, with particular attention to salmon, shrimp and pangasius. Copies of the report will be given to delegates.
On that first day, AquaVision will feature speakers as diverse as Professor Stéphane Garelli from the business school in Lausanne, who will share his ideas on how to be competitive in 2008 and beyond, and Rasmus Hansson of WWF Norway, talking about getting best results by working with companies and not against them.
Professor Cees Veerman of Wageningen University and a previous Minister of Agriculture in the Netherlands, will review the driving forces in food production from a global perspective. After that, Dr James Anderson of Rhode Island University examines the cost competitiveness of major farmed fish species.
Among the other speakers in the “Know the fundamentals” session, delegates will hear from Knut Molaug, CEO of AKVA Group ASA, and Søren Martens, CEO of Fish Pool ASA, discussing respectively the global outlook for industrial fishing and price drivers in aquaculture.
Creating your future
Having learned about the fundamentals, day two is for listening to regulators, leaders and pioneers in aquaculture. Speakers include Helga Pedersen, Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, giving her views on how to achieve sustainable growth in aquaculture. Åse Aulie Michelet, the CEO of Marine Harvest, will review the opportunities for aquaculture as a global food reserve. German-Australian tuna farming pioneer Hagen Stehr will report the latest information on sustainable tuna farming.
Chingchai Lohawatanakul, President of the Aquaculture business of Charoen Pokhand Group, will talk about protein production in Asia. Then, from South America, Jorge Quiroz, CEO of Quiroz & Asociados, will discuss protein production on his continent.
Ending the session, delegates will hear from Ernest Sanders of Monsanto about alternative omega-3 resources and from Aaron Allen, of the Quantified Marketing Group, about how to tell a seafood story to the press.
World-leading fish feed producer Skretting and parent company Nutreco, a world top five company in animal nutrition, are again strong supporters of AquaVision, co-organising the event with BluePlanet. Opening speeches for the two conference days will come from Knut Nesse, Managing Director Skretting Salmon Feed, and Viggo Halseth, Managing Director Skretting Trout & Marine Species. Wout Dekker, Nutreco CEO, will give the closing remarks.
Further information, the full program and registration forms for AquaVision 2008 are available at www.aquavision.org.
