Balance diversity to account for area specificities

Fish and seafood farming is the most diverse livestock production system in terms of the species cultivated, the production environments and technologies, and levels of intensity. Diversification, however, needs to be balanced against ecosystem fragilities, social responsibility, and the needs of a circular economy.

Ecosystems across the globe are facing threats to biodiversity, and the diversity of food and agricultural systems, for both crops and livestock, is decreasing as well. As the agriculture sector continues to homogenize, its ability to combat other challenges, like climate change and disease, is attenuated. ese topics will be discussed this September, when the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) hosts Aquaculture Europe 2023 in Vienna,

Austria with the theme “Balanced Diversity in Aquaculture Development.”

Aquaculture is distinct from other food systems: both the marine and freshwater sectors are rich with opportunities. Aquaculture has the capacity to provide a signi cant proportion of protein for human consumption if it continues to develop on its current trajectory. Moreover, the aquaculture sector can be developed sustainably, which will have positive impacts across food systems globally. e aquaculture sector in Europe is growing, if slowly, and diversifying. Production is currently limited to a few dominant species, so to maintain the sector’s positive trends, it is crucial that it continues to diversify. Trends suggest that diversi cation, the allocation of key resources, and the utilization of circular economy principles will contribute to growth in the aquaculture sectors in Europe, where production is currently relatively low. To take stock and to see what the future holds, the European

Aquaculture Society (EAS) will focus the 2023 Aquaculture Europe Conference on balancing diversity in aquaculture development. e sector is conscious of the importance of balancing, and not rushing, diversi cation. Emphasis is therefore placed on making diversi cation plans keeping local environments in mind, so as not to place undue stress upon natural resources, existing social arrangements, markets, and other pre-existing structures that could possibly be a ected by the diversi cation of the sector.

A well-rounded experience for conference attendees

e Aquaculture Europe conference will include an international trade expo at which companies can display their products and services, all of which will relate to the aquaculture sector. e conference will also consist of a variety of panels, forums, and sessions all focused on many of the latest industry developments. Students can also attend the conference (at a discounted rate) to gather information and build networks within the aquaculture sector. e conference comprises three separate plenary sessions hosted by academics, scientists, and industry professionals who will provide a unique lens on the future of the diversi cation of Europe’s aquaculture sector.

e rst plenary speaker will be József Popp, Professor of Economics and Social Sciences and Dean at Szent István University, Hungary. Professor Popp’s main research is centered around food, energy, and environmental security as well as the food economy, rural development, the supply chain, and renewable energy. His plenary session will focus on methods for balancing diversity and the responsible use of global resources to produce healthy food. More specically, Professor Popp will discuss aquaculture production methods like intensive-extensive systems, freshwater integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA), and recirculating aquaculture systems and how they can promote diversi cation.

Selecting strains that thrive despite environmental change

e second plenary session will take place on Wednesday, 20 September, and it will be hosted by Antti Kause and Morten Rye. Dr Kause is a Principal Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) in Finland, and Dr Rye is the Director of External Services at Benchmark Genetics Norway, a world-renowned center for breeding and genomics for aquaculture. During this session the experts will discuss sh breeding programmes and the new instruments developed that contribute to the success of these programmes. ey will address concerns like whether current strains are resilient enough to withstand the changes and challenges sh will face in the short and longer term. ey will also consider the necessary tools, risks, and opportunities in relation to selecting strains that are robust enough to face these challenges.

e third and nal plenary session will be hosted by Lissy Smit, the CEO of Aqua Spark on ursday, 21 September. Aqua Spark is an investment fund that invests in new, innovative, and sustainable solutions for the aquaculture sector’s most pressing challenges. eir investments range across the entire chain of industry. As an investor, Ms Smit will provide a unique perspective, and she will discuss the ways in which investors like Aqua Spark are seeking investment opportunities that contribute to the development of the aquaculture sector to ensure that the process is healthy, environmentally conscious, and provides a ordable sh. She will discuss her company’s current portfolio to provide insight into solutions that started as ideas in an academic setting and were then scaled up. e hope is that these plenary sessions will provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the importance of diversity for the future of the aquaculture industry.

Nora Goodman, Euro sh, nora@euro sh.dk

For more information, contact European Aquaculture Society Slijkensesteenweg 4 Oostende

B-8400

BELGIUM

Tel.: +32 59 32 38 59 https://aquaeas.eu/

AE2023 Contacts:

Conference: ae2023@aquaeas.eu

Registration: worldaqua@was.org

Booths/Sponsors: mario @marevent.com

DanFish International, 10-12 October 2023, Aalborg