Fresh water aquaculture and the use of water

26 & 27 April 2003 - Billund, Denmark

The first Workshop of the PROFET initiative is to be held at the Hotel Legoland (Billund – Denmark) on the 26th and 27th April 2003 and is being coordinated by the Association of Danish Trout Farmers and the Danish Eel Farmers' Association .

The theme of the Workshop is “Freshwater Aquaculture and the Use of Water” and particular focus will be given to trout and eel farming, where technical visits to both activities are being organised.

The provisional programme and forms for Workshop Registration and Hotel Reservation can be downloaded from the links on the right pane of this window (in Word or PDF format). Many distinguished and experienced players from the European aquaculture sector (producers, scientists and administrators) will be making short presentations and participating in the debates.

Simultaneous translation in English, Danish, German and French will be provided.

The Workshop is divided into 7 separate sessions, covering the following issues:

Aquaculture in Europe

This session is devoted to elaborating the current position of aquaculture in Europe, where speakers from the European Commission (DG FISH) will present the actions taken for the Sustainable Development of European Aquaculture and the possibilities for RTD actions within the 6th Framework Programme. In addition, presentations on Networking within the sector and the possibilities for training will also be made.

Using the Market as the Driving Force for Growth

The market is the determining factor for sectoral consolidation and growth; presentations will be made on trends in the market and the perspectives of the consumer and the retailer.

Environmental challenges for Fish Farming

Key issues to be presented and debated include:
The use of water and the effects of treating water; the use of therapeutic agents and the impact of nutrient waste.

Re-circulation as a tool for sustainable development

Debate will be made on the application of water recirculation and treatment systems in different circumstances, notably for eel and trout farming, using current technological solutions. A presentation on the veterinary issues encountered in re-circulation systems will be made. Finally, the implications of this technology for farmers and consumers and the experiences of the farmers will be provided.

Food safety and animal welfare

These issues are of prime importance and a wide range of topics will be addressed, including the role of the aquaculture industry in assuring the approaches required. Strategies for appropriate husbandry will be presented and discussed and the state of play for treating diseases is to be examined.

Threats and opportunities

Identifying and addressing the threats and opportunities for the European Aquaculture sector is the penultimate session, where presentations will be made on the future for fish feeds, hatchery selection technology and the potential for new freshwater species will be made. The business of professional aquaculture has changed considerably in the last 10 years, subject to increased legislation and consumer behaviour. Discussion will be made on structural changes and anticipated developments of the sector.

The conclusions of the Workshop will be developed in the final session and these will be used to formulate the first recommendations by the Workshop for RTD policy in the future.

The presentations and conclusions of the Workshop will be copied to all Workshop participants.

Additional information

Technical tours to trout and eel farms (close to the Workshop location) are being organised - to participate in these, please register using the Workshop Registration Form.

A Gala Dinner is planned for the evening of Saturday 26th April, an opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones, and reservation for this is on the Workshop Registration Form - access to these is on  the right-hand pane of this window (the WebForm is for sending by Email (Don't forget to save the file before despatch!) - the Fax Form (Word/PDF) for faxing)

Hotel Registration can be made using the Hotel Registration form (please note that the organisers are unable to intervene in Hotel Registration) - access to these is on  the right-hand pane of this window (the WebForm is for sending by Email (Don't forget to save the file before despatch!)- the Fax Form (Word/PDF) for faxing).

For any further information, please contact profet-dk@feap.info

The PROFET Workshop on “Freshwater Aquaculture and the Use of Water” is sponsored by Billund Aquaculture ApS, Biomar A/S and Hevico A/S and is being achieved with financial support from the European Commission.