30/03/2016: OMC Europe 2016: A week to go – details of technical visits released

The 6th Offshore Mariculture Conference is just a week away. In 2014, the Conference attracted delegates from 28 countries from a plethora of sectors that make up the offshore mariculture and aquaculture industry. 51 percent of attendees came from Europe, whilst the majority of the remainder came, most noticeably, from the Americas. Sales to date are up on 2014 bookings, and we predict another equally diverse and engaging mix of delegates in 2016.

Read the full programme HERE.
 With the ongoing need for growth in aquaculture, the conference will help fish farmers and producers to grow their business, whether it be through moving from coastal to offshore/high energy sites or simply by adding value through intelligent processing and responsible, sustainable aquaculture.

Following the keynote addresses by Ernesto Penas Lado, Director: Directorate A — Policy development and coordination: DG MARE — Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and Michael Rubino, Director, Office of Aquaculture, NOAA Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the first session will cover the challenges and opportunities represented by moving to high energy or offshore farming sites. 

Delegates have the opportunity to visit the Mercabarna Central Fish Market, Barcelona on day three

The following presentations will be included:

• Donna Lanzetta, CEO, Manna Fish Farms: Offshore mariculture – where and why?
• Alonso Echevarria Ubilla, Director, AEX Group: Analysis of an offshore aquaculture system in the Ecuadorian coast
• Eleni Papathanasopoulou, Plymouth Marine Laboratory: Offshore aquaculture development in UK waters – opportunities and challenges
• Neil Anthony Sims, Co-Founder & CEO, Kampachi Farms, LLC: Over-the-Horizon Aquaculture™ – ecological footprint, synergies and remote command-and-control technologies in deep water offshore fish pens
• John C Bonardelli, PhD, Shellfish Solutions: Analysis of surface floats used in high-energy sites in the rope-grown mussel industry and their impact on commercial yields and marketable quality

The conference dinner, taking place on day one, will be held at La Gavina restaurant, located within the restored Palau del Mar building at the foot of the Mediterranean Sea. A traditional Spanish restaurant, La Gavina has a history that dates back to the 1930s. The dinner will provide the perfect platform for networking and continuing discussions between speakers, delegates, sponsors and supporters before the second day of presentations continue at the World Trade Centre on Thursday 7 April.

Following the two-day conference, the Offshore Mariculture Conference will conclude with technical visits on day three. Delegates are firstly invited to the Mercabarna Central Fish Market, which occupies around 24,000 square meters. 48 wholesale companies operate from 80 points of sale, with 14 distribution points (stockpiler stalls). The Market sells around 78,000 tonnes of produce each year, some 81 percent of which is fresh – spaces on this trip are limited to 30.

The second technical visit will be to the IRTA (Research & Technology, Food & Agriculture). IRTA is based in the heart of the Ebro Delta, owned by the Government of Catalonia and ascribed to the Department of Agriculture. The objective of IRTA is to carry out strategic research in aquaculture, facilitating its efficient transfer both to official agency bodies and the industry and to develop focused research in order to improve the knowledge and technology needed for increasing the number of species cultured and/or improve the existing processes, both from the production and from the food safety points of view – places will be limited to 60 delegates, again allocated on a first come first served basis.

There is still time for delegates to secure a place at the conference, with fish farmers receiving a preferential rate. All enquiries should be directed to conferences@offshoremariculture.com  +44 1329 825335

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