November 7, 2024 - The organisers of the longstanding Seagriculture Conferences, DLG Benelux, together with local industry host of the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA) today announced that Professor Tim Flannery, one of Australia's leading writers on climate change and an internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, will open a global seaweed gathering set for March 18-20, 2025, in Adelaide.
Professor Flannery, a former Australian of the Year and Councillor at the Climate Council, joins other speakers revealed today including Steve Meller, CEO, President and Co-Founder of CH4 Global, Professor Emeritus Rocky de Nys, Chief Scientific Officer at Sea Forest and Nick Hill, Co-Founder of Coast 4C, a 2024 finalist of The Earthshot Prize, a globally significant environmental initiative led by Prince William.
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Australian Seaweed Institute Founder and CEO Jo Kelly, a champion and pioneer of seaweed for reef health will also share her insights with delegates, as will The Nature Conservancy's Senior Aquaculture Scientist Heidi Alleway on aquaculture and regenerative aquatic food systems. Seaweed as a nature positive industry will also be a focus for both.
Further, discussions over the two days will be moderated by the Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies' (IMAS) Professor Catriona MacLeod, also a board member of both ASSA and the World Aquaculture Society amongst other leadership roles including Research Program Leader at the Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre (MBCRC).
Finally, joining a Tim Flannery moderated climate change panel discussion first up is Professor Catriona Hurd also from IMAS, and an internationally respected eco-phycologist and Professor on seaweed eco-physiology with expertise in Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal.
The first in-person event following an earlier online conference, Seagriculture Asia-Pacific 2025 will be premiering in Australia and marks a pivotal moment for the Seagriculture Conferences series, expanding its borders and venturing into a new region, bringing together participants from the Asia-Pacific within the seaweed value chain.
Up to 300 international and domestic delegates will gather at the Adelaide Convention Centre from March 19-20, 2025 and in addition, participants have the opportunity to join an exclusive site visit on March 18, 2025, to the Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelaide, the details of which were also released today.
ASSA CEO Lindsay Hermes said the day tour cohort will have the opportunity to participate in a range of one-of-a-kind experiences as they meet with fellow conference attendees ahead of the official conference:
- Day tour delegates will have opportunity to hear from some of the South Australian Research & Development Institute's (SARDI's) top seaweed scientists and see their work up close
- Day tour delegates will have the chance to speak to a Ngarrindjeri Elder about how sustainable, traditional fishing practices support a balanced ecosystem, and see a demonstration from local business, Kuti Co
- Day tour delegates will also be able to sample some of South Australia's finest and freshest seafood at the Kuti Shack, a restaurant nestled in the Sandhills at Goolwa Beach, an hour or so south of Adelaide
"From the stunning natural landscapes of South Australia and a breathtaking beachside restaurant to cutting-edge research facilities and the chance to see first-hand how the Ngarrindjeri People have harvested the ocean for thousands of years, the Seagriculture Asia-Pacific site visit is one not to miss," Mr Hermes said.
"Further, DLG and ASSA are delighted to have someone of Professor Tim Flannery's calibre agree to formally open our conference the following day, joining leaders of major Australian commercial seaweed operators and pioneers working across the Asia Pacific, with more speakers to be announced in the coming weeks."
"The Asia Pacific is critical to the ongoing growth of a globally significant seaweed industry, which is also why we are taking an Australian industry delegation to South Korea this month, to share knowledge, establish new relationships and better understand well-established supply chains in this market leader, in order to further develop our local industry at here at home."
The day tour on March 18 includes presentations at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), an institution dedicated to increasing the productivity, adaptability and economy of South Australia's primary industries, enabling sustainable use of natural resources, addressing agricultural barriers and providing applied solutions.
More broadly, the Government of South Australia, along with its Team Adelaide partners Business Events Adelaide and the Adelaide Convention Centre, are sponsors of the conference, with Adelaide and surrounds, renowned for its dynamic cultural scene, picturesque landscapes and burgeoning innovation hub, providing an ideal setting. Delegates will have the opportunity to experience a region known for its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, reflecting the core values of the industry.
"ASSA continues to work closely with our key partners the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), SARDI, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), our ASSA corporate and affiliate members right around the country and other key stakeholders to deliver this conference and drive our high tech, high growth and highly sustainable industry forward," Mr Hermes continued.
"Our Asia-Pacific region is a world leader in seaweed production with a rich history deeply intertwined with the cultivation and use of this marine resource. From traditional seaweed farming methods to state-of-the-art technology on land and in the ocean, all of which delegates will have the opportunity to see, our region offers delegates a wealth of knowledge and experience to explore."
"Seagriculture Asia-Pacific 2025 will provide participants a unique platform to learn about the diverse seaweed industry in the region and understand innovative approaches that contribute to its sustainable development. Bring on March 2025."
The Seagriculture conference has been successfully organised since 2012 and has built up a solid reputation as the leading conference for the seaweed industry. The addition of the Asia-Pacific edition complements the existing European and US conferences.
Locally, the Australian Government committed $8 million to the Developing Australia's Seaweed Farming Program, within which ASSA and FRDC are collaborating to accelerate seaweed aquaculture in Australia. This includes support for a National Hatchery Network and scientific team in South Australia, as well as support for knowledge sharing opportunities, with Seagriculture Asia-Pacific 2025 being a prime example.
The funding also includes a series of contracted projects including the development of a portable seaweed hatchery or 'Lab on Wheels' and two dedicated online seaweed education and permit application information portals, both of which will be available for conference delegates to view at the Adelaide Convention Centre via a live 'Lab on Wheels' outdoor exhibit and two interactive 'Seaweed Central' online display screens.
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