Darwin, Australia, welcomes the world's aquaculture community this week for World Aquaculture 2023 (WA2023), the annual conference of the World Aquaculture Society, taking place 30 May – 1 June.
The conference kicked off yesterday at the Darwin Convention Centre. Drawing in thousands of international attendees, the four-day event features industry speakers, workshops, tours, and a platform to showcase innovative research in the field of aquaculture.
On the agenda are a wide variety of topics related to production, feed, biology, health and welfare, data and automation, management and human resources. Sessions also include focus on geographical regions, including Pacific Islands and African aquaculture. Another special focus of the event is women in aquaculture, with a workshop on "breaking barriers" scheduled for the conference's closing day.
The last time Australia hosted the event was back in 2014. Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), the peak body representing the country's commercial seafood industry, is this year's conference host. "We are thrilled to welcome the World Aquaculture 2023 conference to Australia," said SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta in a statement.
Highlighting the consistent growth of Australia's aquaculture sector, Papacosta stated, "The sector's GVP grew 10 percent in 2019-20, with Tasmania's Atlantic Salmon industry accounting for 35 percent of national fisheries and aquaculture GVP. Australia's aquaculture sector sets international benchmarks by providing fresh, high-quality, sustainable seafood year-round, while meeting and exceeding regulatory requirements."
Australia's aquaculture production value increased by 10% in 2019-20, reaching AUD $1.6 billion. In Australia, the sector provides employment to 7,000 people, and produces a wide variety of seafood and marine products, including salmonids, tuna, prawns, oysters, barramundi, pearls, and several other species.