Returning to Aviemore, Scotland, in early May, the Aquaculture UK conference comprises a line-up of speakers that will not only reflect the scope of the industry but also its capacity to adapt, according to the event’s organiser.
Attendees at the conference and exhibition will also hear about the advances that have been driving change since the last in-person Aquaculture UK event was held in 2018, advises Diversified Communications.
Key themes at the conference’s opening session on 3 May are innovation and sustainability, featuring presentations from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, and the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).
Alastair Dingwall, formerly Sainsbury’s head of seafood, will outline changes over the past two years at the ASC, where he is senior director of Technical Operations. Dingwall, who began his career in salmon farming at Marine Harvest (now Mowi), has long been an advocate of sustainable aquaculture and will discuss the ASC’s role in ensuring responsible farming.
The Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling University’s new head, Professor Simon MacKenzie, will talk about research supporting the industry’s sustainable growth. MacKenzie will also provide an update on the creation of the National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub in Stirling.
SAIC CEO, Heather Jones, and director of Innovation and Engagement, Sarah Riddle, will address the conference on, respectively, the impact of innovation and the funding structure. The centre is also hosting a Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA) breakfast, with Teresa Garzon - WiSA chair and manager at fish health consultancy PatoGen - leading the networking event to promote diversity in the workplace.
Also featuring will be alternative feed company Veramaris, with a session on how alternative ingredients, such as marine algal oil, can contribute to the sustainable growth of aquaculture, while Swansea University will showcase the practical tools that can be deployed to improve the welfare of lumpfish, and the Centre for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) will talk about both gene editing and in-tank fish health and nutrition.
In a special session, the Chilean Embassy will present contributions from five of the country’s leading aquaculture innovators, who will share their technological expertise, their experience working with domestic and international markets, and their view of the Scottish industry.
