Back in business
Madeira proved to be the perfect location for the EAS to reconvene
TO say the least,it’s been a strange and challenging time for us all. For those involved in aquaculture, particularly in the academic world, the European Aquaculture Society’s (EAS) annual conference in October represented something like a step towards normality, with an in-person event on Madeira. Aquaculture Europe 2021 (AE2021) had the theme “Oceans of Opportunity” and Madeira, a Portuguese island surrounded by hundreds of miles of the blue Atlantic, provided the ideal backdrop for that message.
The venue had been chosen prior to the arrival of Covid-19, but it turned out to be an inspired choice.The regional government had put a great deal of effort and thought into finding the right balance between ensuring the safety of islanders and visitors, and supporting Madeira’s vital tourist industry.
AE2021 saw just over 1,400 delegates attending, making it the biggest event yet for the EAS apart from Berlin,back in 2019.
Alistair Lane, Executive Director with the EAS, says:“Overall I was really pleased, as were a lot of people. It was the first time for a long while that this many people had been able to get together.
“There were 943 abstracts submitted, close to a record and only behind Berlin, and 560 were presented orally.”
The pandemic did place some constraints on the event, but it provided a case study on how large in-person events can take place under the current conditions.The rules required 75% capacity and face coverings for meeting rooms, social events took place out of doors wherever possible and there were mandatory lateral flow Covid tests at the conference in addition to Portugal’s own entry requirements.
Professor Hervé Migaud is EAS President (2020–2022) and Production Research Group Leader at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling. He says:“People were asking us,:‘Is it going to happen?’ It was great to see that they trusted us.
“Now, people have realised that there is a life with Covid.We can meet face to face.The authorities in Madeira did a fantastic job. For example, the testing facilities at the hotel and the Madeira Safe app were excellent.”
Participants from 57 countries attended AE2021, including just under 250 students, who took part in a dedicated workshop and special events and excursions during the week.
A total of 943 abstracts were submitted for conference presentations and 560 of these were presented orally in the 39 conference sessions.A further 383 Eposters were presented online and on several viewing stations in the conference area.
The trade show allowed 80 companies to present their products and services to the sector, and included a special pavilion of Portuguese companies presented by the Ministry of the Sea.
The opening ceremony also included an opportunity to thank former EAS President Professor Gavin Burnell of the University College, Cork, Ireland, for his contribution to the work of the society over many years.
As current President, Hervé Migaud presented
“Now, people have realised that there is a life Covid” with
the Society’s Distinguished Service Award to Professor Burnell, who was a board member between 1990 and 2004, and President between 2018 and 2020. He has also been editor of the EAS journal,
Aquaculture International, for the past 20 years and continues to work with EAS even after retirement.
Migaud said, presenting the award:“Gavin is one of those special persons who continues to give without counting to further the objectives of EAS and expand our community.”
Of course, the aquaculture sector has its critics and the opening ceremony was also marked by a small protest by groups in Madeira who want to see fish farming around the island either curtailed or moved further offshore. It was not the first demonstration on this topic on the island, although the autonomous regional government has been very supportive of the industry.
The conference also featured the annual Student Spotlight Awards, with three shortlisted aquaculture students presenting a summary of their papers at the opening plenary session.The three finalists, UK, and had been previously selected by the EAS Board of Directors from all the abstracts submitted by students through appraisals. Each had three minutes to present their work, which was then voted on by the 700 delegates at the session.
Dean Porter of the University of Aberdeen presented on a study on rainbow trout diet, looking at how the gut responds to different feed ingredients, carried out at the Scottish Fish Immunology Centre in association with Skretting.
Sandra Ramos-Júdez of the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) in Spain presented on an experimental technique to control the maturation of larvae for flathead grey mullet to improve the success of spawning. Rafaela Santos of CIIMAR/CIITAB in Portugal presented on quorum-quenching Bacillus sp., a microbe that can protect fish from Edwardsiella tarda infection and modulate the immune system of gilthead sea bream.
Rafaela Santos was declared the winner and was presented with a cash prize of €300 to complement the €300 already given to each of the finalists.
Among the special sessions at AE2021 were the final workshop of the EU Horizon 2020 MedAID Project, with the collaboration of PerformFish; and workshops organised by the EAS Thematic Group on Percid Fish Culture, the Mediterranean Aquaculture Product Environmental Footprint Stakeholders event and the HiSea demonstration of high-resolution water quality data services.
At the end of the scientific session on Marine Spatial Planning & Conservation, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature organised a special round table discussion with invited contributors on aquaculture and marine conservation, dedicated to novel approaches reconciling aquaculture development projects with the conservation objectives of marine protected areas.
This year’s conference also included the EU Blue Invest Day, a forum for innovation and investment for aquaculture within the EU Green Deal.
Migaud says:“The idea of Aquaculture Europe is to bring different sectors together – academics, industry, investors and funders. It’s what makes these events unique.There is something for everybody!”
Aquaculture Europe 2022 will take place in Rimini, Italy, over 27–30 September 2022.As well as the regular conference elements, it will also feature a “RAS@EAS Workshop” focusing on recirculating aquaculture systems. It will be the first time this has featured as an in-person event, although there was a RAS workshop at the all-online conference earlier this year.
Migaud is confident that there will be a lot of interest in next year’s event: “We know a lot of people who could not come to Madeira, but who have said they will be at Rimini,” he says.
Sponsors for AE2021 were BioMar (Gold Sponsors), SPAROS Student Group Sponsors EU Blue Invest (session sponsor) and the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea, the regional government of Madeira, the Madeira Promotion Bureau and the Regional Research and Innovation Agency,ARDITI.