Focus on sustainable aquaculture

THE WORLD Aquaculture Society’s (WAS) conference opened in the city yesterday with pleas for increased investment, research and co-operation in aquaculture.

The conference co-hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff), WAS and the Aquaculture Association of South Africa has attracted some 1 500 scholars, farmers, experts and global organisations to the Cape Town Convention Centre yesterday.

The theme of the conference is “Sustainable Aquaculture – New Frontiers for Economic Growth”, with Daff speakers Minister Senzeni Zokwana and Deputy Minister General Bheki Cele focusing largely on sustainable aquaculture in Africa.

As a first for Africa, the WAS conference provides an opportunity to view a trade show and for delegates to gather information on “analysis and insight on uniquely African stories within the aquaculture sector, with plenaries on the entire aquaculture value-chain”, Daff spokesperson Andile Mazikode said.

Fisheries and aquaculture “as a means to affect food and nutrition security in Africa and beyond” will be highlighted extensively this week, considering that the South African aquaculture sector is growing steadily, “with projected growth trends pointing to a five-fold growth of 20 000 tons of production by 2020 from 4 000 currently,” said Mazikode.

Focusing on the future of the industry, about 40 students from African universities and pupils from Inkwenkwezi Secondary School in Dunoon have also been invited to participate. – Staff Reporter