Aquaculture conference hailed a major success

A TRAIL-BLAZING aquaculture conference has been hailed a major success.

More than 180 people from across Europe attended the Aquaculture Today

2005 conference in Edinburgh this week, organised by leading

professional magazine Fish Farmer.

The conference, held at the Marriott, was opened by the Scottish

aquaculture minister Lewis Macdonald and featured presentations by

leading trade and industrial figures such as top European Commission

trade official Willem de Munck.

The assembled delegates, a mixture of top industry figures, politicians,

regulators and academics, were able to quiz Willem de Munck, deputy head

of the Trade Defence Instruments department of the European Commission,

on the latest situation in the trade war between the European Union and

Norway.

Conference chairman, Dr Malcolm Dickson, said: "The response to the

conference has been amazing. I think the key to its success was the

quality of the presentations covering many of the current 'hot topics',

while the social programme was also important.

"Personal highlights were the session on aquaculture markets where

Willem de Munck of the EU was able to explain exactly what is happening

in the salmon trade dispute and the wonderful opportunities for

networking.

"Everyone I spoke to, whether speaker, sponsor, exhibitor or delegate

was keen to see this become a regular event - so the hard work by the

organising team has been well worthwhile."

The conference was attended by Lord Lindsay, the chairman of Scottish

Quality Salmon, the main body representing Scotland's salmon farmers.

Brian Simpson, the chief executive of Scottish Quality Salmon was

typical of those who enthused over the event. He said: "The conference

agenda was relevant and focused for the aquaculture sector and the

conference formula was just right."

Details of the 2006 event will be announced soon through Fish Farmer

magazine, www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

, www.aquaculturetoday.com

, and www.fishupdate.com

Richard Slaski, the secretary of the Federation of Scottish Aquaculture

Producers said, "We were just discussing how good the conference has

been and would like to congratulate the organisers. The organisation of

the whole event was good, quality of speakers and the topicality was

very good. We are certainly impressed and I would like to see it again

in the future."

Frank Asche, from the University of Stavanger, said, "I have been to

very many events in Norway where there is a bigger industry and they

have only got half of the turnout you have achieved. Congratulations."

Ann Poyner, from the Health and Safety Executive, said, "This conference

has increased my understanding of the industry and it has been a great

networking event."

Dr Jim Treasurer, from SAMS Ardtoe, said, "This was a very good

conference - you got it absolutely right!"

Aquaculture Today 2005 was organised by Fish Farmer magazine.

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