The finishing touches are being applied to the program for the Future Aquaculture conference to be held in Duino (near Trieste), Italy, September 14-15, 2006.
Organised by Eurofish with the support of the Directorate for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs in the European Commission, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policies, and Skretting, the international feed company, Future Aquaculture will address the opportunities and challenges facing the European aquaculture sector, with a regional focus on the southern and eastern member states of the European Union and neighbouring countries.
Modern aquaculture aims at becoming a sustainable source of fish that meets customer requirements and respects the environment. The Future Aquaculture programme divides the conference into four sessions. The first three sessions address markets, management, and knowledge and will be chaired by eminent members of the European aquaculture profession, John Stephanis (FEAP), Courtney Hough (FEAP), and Laszlo Varadi (HAKI), while in the fourth and final session Stefano Cataudella (University of Rome Tor Vergata) will sum up the conference drawing conclusions and making recommendations.
Sessions two and four will include panel discussions with panellists from ministries and associations in different countries to give a wider perspective to the issues being discussed. Among the questions to be addressed will be how countries in the region are adjusting their production to future demand; the role of innovation; and the need to involve stakeholders to ensure sustainable development. These are just some of the topics that will be debated at the Future Aquaculture conference which promises a day and a half of presentations and informative discussions.
Participants at the conference will be from industry (fish farmers, processors, feed and technology suppliers, traders), but also associations and public sector representatives.
Future Aquaculture will be a forum for networking, exchange of information, and will provide ample space for debates and interaction among participants. The venue, Duino Castle, overlooks the Gulf of Trieste and is surrounded by magnificent gardens and panoramic terraces.
The conference will be held in English with Italian translation and will be followed by technical visits to trout and sea-bass/sea bream farms.
