Locally produced aquaculture will be the focus of this year's Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) and Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) conference.
The conference - Proudly Australian Produced - will be delivered on August 5 and 6 at Broadbeach, on Queensland's Gold Coast.
APFA Vice President Alistair Dick said the conference is a unique opportunity for farmers and industry representatives to hear what is currently happening in the aquaculture industry and how farmers can best deal with the issues.
“It is important the conference looks at how we can assist our farmers to be kept up to date with global research and technologies and to ensure the Australian aquaculture farming industry can continue to grow and expand,” Dick said. “The combined value of the prawn and barramundi farming industries currently contributes in excess of $78 million to the Queensland economy and both industries should be extremely proud of their international reputation for producing the world’s best prawns and barramundi and we need to ensure this continues.”
The conference will also feature two internationally renowned experts who will discuss water quality issues. Professor Gustaaf Hallegraeff, whose current research is focusing on the impact of climate change on phytoplankton in Australian coastal waters and the Southern Ocean, will discuss algae species.
Associate Professor Niels Jorgensen from Denmark is an expert in cycling of organic compounds by microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems. He currently works with Southeast Queensland Water and Griffith University on water quality issues and will discuss microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems.
Dick said that the conference will be a celebration of Proudly Australian Produced species and will also explore how the two sectors compare globally, and what is required to ensure progress and continued expansion. “Aquaculture will play an important role in providing a secure food source over the next 20 years and must be able to meet the challenge of increasing productivity whilst at the same time reducing environmental impact,” he added.
Other speakers at the conference include Dr Matthew Briggs from Thailand, and South Australia’s king of Southern Blue Fin Tuna, Hagen Stehr. For more information or for a registration form, email info@apfa.com.au.