Capital event

After months of intensive preparation, Scotland is ready to host the European Aquaculture Society’s annual conference. To be held in Edinburgh, the event draws aquaculture scientists from around the world but the decision to stage the show in the UK reflects the international reputation of our sector.

That is a tribute to Scotland’s fish farmers, equipment suppliers and technical innovators - and to our world class scientific community. In this issue we mark the achievements of the organisation at the heart of the industry’s development, Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, with updates on some of the latest salmon research. We also feature one of the IoA’s founding fathers, Randolph Richards, as this month’s pioneer.

Aquaculture cannot thrive without the provision of education and training to nurture future generations. Martyn Haines explains an exciting development in this area, as Europe’s leading fish farming nations embark on a joint skills initiative.

Elsewhere, we look at a fledgling project in India, launched by the charity Aquaculture without Frontiers and partly funded by Rabobank. And we talk to the man behind New Zealand’s annual aquaculture conference, which takes place this month.

We would love to hear your views about what’s happening in the industry. Please get in touch, via email or Twitter (jhjul@ fishupdate.com or @fishfarmerwd).