Packed programme for AQUA 2024

The eyes of the world’s aquaculture sector will be on Copenhagen this August, when the city hosts AQUA 2024, a joint event co-organised by the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) and the World Aquaculture Society (WAS).

The AQUA events are held every six years. Past events took place in Nice (2000), Florence (2006), Prague (2012) and Montpellier (2018).

AQUA 2024 will take place from August 26-30 at the BELLA ARENA in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. It will comprise a scientific conference, trade exhibition, industry forums, workshops, student events and receptions. The event will highlight the latest aquaculture research and innovation to underpin continued growth of this exciting food production sector.  It will be a showcase for Denmark, and its innovation leadership in several key technologies crucial for future aquaculture, but also a meeting and exchange platform for experts from around the world.

The overarching theme of AQUA 2024 is BLUE FOOD, GREEN SOLUTIONS and the scientific conference will include more than 60 sessions covering all aspects of aquaculture research.

AQUA 2024 has been organised with the support of local partners, the Danish Export Association Fish Tech, ICES, DTU AQUA, the University of Copenhagen, EUROFISH and the Copenhagen Convention Bureau.

Gold sponsor for the event is BioMar, Silver sponsors are Biorigin, US Soy, University of Stavanger and the Blue Planet Academy, and Aquasoia are session sponsors.

Key figures:

•                Expected conference delegates: 1400

•                Total expected participation: 2500

•                No. of countries: 90

•                Conference sessions: 60

•                Special sessions, industry forums and workshops: 12

•                Tradeshow booths: 240

•                Tradeshow visitors: 1200

Programme highlights

The Programme Grid, showing sessions and days is now online at was.org/meeting/pdf/AQUA24_ProgrammeGrid.pdf

It shows the parallel abstract-based scientific sessions, as well as the forums and special sessions that will take place and specifically targeted towards operators and producers.

Dag Sletmo (L) and Signe Riemer-Sørensen

Plenary speakers

On Tuesday 27 August Dag Sletmo, Senior Vice President Seafood Division, DNB will give an opening plenary address on “Analysing the Future.”

Bringing the conference to a close, on Friday 30 August, Signe Riemer-Sørensen, Research Manager Analytics and AI, SINTEF will give her views on “AI with Knowledge.”

This final plenary will be followed by the AQUA 2024 Poster Awards, overseen by the AQUA 2024 Programme co-chairs, Luisa Valente (CIIMAR, Portugal), Lorenzo Juarez (WAS, USA), Kjell Maroni (FHF? Norway) and Anne Cooper (ICES, Denmark).

Industry and Innovation Forums

A regular feature of EAS events is the Industry Forum and the Innovation Forum and these will take place during AQUA 2024.

The Industry Forum will be held all day on Tuesday 27 August and will address the main event theme, with key questions about the status and future of the sector with regards, to adaptation to climate change, mitigation of its effects, circular approaches and other externalities.

It will be divided into several panel discussions, overseen by master of ceremony for the day, Lise Walbom, CEO, Food Nation Denmark.

The AQUA 2024 Innovation Forum is being co-organised by EAS, EATiP (European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform) and the European Commission.

It will be held all day on Wednesday 28 August and will take the tile “Exploring Inter-Regional Collaboration & Innovation Transfer vehicles for Aquaculture.”

The Forum will explore inter-regional collaboration for innovation transfer through the lens of EU policy and initiatives, but also at the global level. It comprises four sessions with a lix of presentation and interactive discussion to address key questions.

Session 1:  European Aspirations for Inter-Regional Innovation transfer
Session 2: Inter-Regional Innovation Landscape in Practice: case studies on how innovation transfer vehicles promote advances in aquaculture :
Session 3: Innovation transfer within the aquaculture research community
Session 4 – Facilitation, Funding models and future calls for inter-regional innovation transfer.
The detailed programmes for both forums are currently being finalised and will be online at the events website www.aquaeas.org/ in early July.

Special sessions

Several special sessions at AQUA 2024 will seek to bridge the gap between science and industry:

Quantitative Atlantic Salmon Health Assessment
EUROshrimp Forum
Aquaculture Stewardship Council workshop on “Future aquafeed supply chains in a transitioning industry and a changing climate“.
Host Resistance to Sea Lice
Light and Fish – And Light and other organisms
IMTA and low-trophic aquaculture.
As above, the detailed programmes of these sessions will be online at the events website in July.

Exhibition

The AQUA 2024 exhibition is just about sold out, with more than 240 booths from suppliers and operators covering all aspects of aquaculture production at the global level. All coffee breaks and happy hours will be held in the exhibition hall to maximise interaction and some 1400 trade show visitors are expected.

National Aquarium, Copenhagen

Tours

On the Monday preceding the event, the organisers are offering several tours.

AQ24 A_DTU: Tour high-tech facilities at the Danish Technical University (DTU) National Food Institute – side streams and research into new ingredients from marine raw materials. Monday, August 26. Morning. Cost: €25 per person. Maximum 30 persons.

AQ24 B_OXYGUARD: Visit OxyGuard International’s Danish Headquarters. Monday, August 26. Morning. Cost: €25 per person. Maximum 30 persons.

AQ24 C_MAREL: A visit to the MAREL Progress Point global Demo Center, to see cutting-edge solutions and software for fish processing. Monday, August 26. Morning. Cost: €25 per person. Maximum 50 persons.

AQ24 D_AQUARIUM: A behind the scenes tour of the Danish National Aquarium (Den Blå Planet) – Northern Europe’s largest aquarium. Monday, August 26. Afternoon. Cost: €60 per person. Maximum 50 persons.

Factsheets on all tours are available on the “Travel” top menu of www.aquaeas.org/ and registrants can sign up for them during the registration process.

Early Bird registration for AQUA 2024 is at https://www.aquaeas.org/Registration/Submit/AQUA24E

The deadline for the cheapest registration rates is 1 July.