Fish pathology conference a Titanic success
IT WAS 40 years ago that the European Association of Fish Pathologists (EAFP) was founded and over the years it has grown to more than 1,000 regular and sustaining members representing some 37 countries worldwide, writes Patrick Smith.
The EAFP has positioned itself as the natural practical link between the aquaculture industry and aquatic animal health researchers, veterinarians and fish health professionals.
Last month the organisation held its 18th biennial international conference in Belfast, attended by more than 500 delegates.
The topics covered, over four days, were wide-ranging and included subjects such as: vaccines and vaccination, immunostimulants, bacterial diseases, viral diseases, myxozoa, emerging diseases, skin diseases, sea lice, cleaner fish, nutrition and health, diseases of public concern, parasitological diseases, host-parasite interactions, bivalve and crustacean diseases, shellfish immunity, gill diseases, fish welfare, aquatic animal epidemiology, diagnostics, and environmental and toxicological diseases.
In addition to the oral presentations there was a poster session including over 300 posters, and the conference also hosted a number of workshops - on student writing, histopathology, myxozoan, emerging diseases in aquaculture, and neglected viral diseases affecting freshwater fish farming.
In addition to the workshops, two industrial forums were held disseminating results and progress from two EU-funded multipartner/country projects: TargetFish and Performfish.
The TargetFish Industrial Forum focused on the subject of DNA vaccines to mark the milestone of the European Medicines Agency giving approval for the first DNA vaccine for pancreas disease in fish.
The scientific content of the conference proved only to be the tip of the iceberg and proceedings concluded with a banquet in the Titanic Centre in Belfast, preceded by a drinks reception and ‘ice-breaker’.
The menu at the banquet was based on that provided for the first class passengers on the fateful maiden voyage of the Titanic, which was built in the city. Good food, drink and traditional dancing ensured that the attendees were buoyed-up and did not leave with any sinking feeling.
There was a general acceptance that this conference, held at the Waterside Conference Centre, was one of the highest quality and one of the best hosted by the EAFP.
The EAFP is keen to recruit new members, and sustaining members, and the benefits of membership and details of how to become a member can be found on the EAFP website.
The 19th International Conference of the EAFP will be held in Porto, Portugal, in September 2019.