Aquaculture Europe 2021, entitled Oceans of Opportunity, will take place from October 4-7, 2021 and is supported by the Portuguese Republic and the Autonomous Region of Madeira. Portugal's Minister of the Sea, Ricardo Serrão Santos, will visit the exhibition and speak on the closing day after the last plenary session. 

“Aquaculture is an important alternative to traditional forms of fish supply and has a large market and long tradition of production of mollusks and fish in fresh and saltwater. In recent years, the sector has made use of technological developments, including offshore engineering technologies, recirculation systems and multitrophic models. The sustainable development of aquaculture is a growing area of the economy of the sea,” the Minister said. 

Throughout the four days of the event, the stand of the Ministry of the Sea will allow visitors to know the various entities and services working for the future of this activity, based on a model of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The Ministry of the Sea will also promote a food tasting on October 5, serving staring gilthead seabream, European seabass and meagre, in order to present the excellent Madeira's aquaculture production. 

To guide policies and investments, Portugal recently approved its third National Ocean Strategy 2021-2030, which has an Action Plan with 185 measures. In the case of aquaculture, these measures will allow the sector to gain more weight in a context where national fisheries production is insufficient to supply consumption in a framework of sustainable management and exploitation of living marine resources. The goals are: 

• Implementing national roadmaps for offshore and recirculation aquaculture, stimulating research, development and innovation activities.
• Giving priority to the development of sustainable and circular aquaculture, both in the open sea and in transitional and inland waters, and stimulate multi-trophic and closed-loop production.
• Promoting the digitalization of the fish value chain, both via traditional fisheries and aquaculture, in order to increase production efficiency and sustainability.

Check out the conference program grid here. More information on www.aquaeas.org. Check out www.visitmadeira.pt for detailed information on COVID status and requirements for entry/arrival.