Aquafuture Spain organisers confident of netting more visitors after changes
More than 8,000 visitors are expected to attend an aquaculture conference and trade show in Galicia, Spain, from May 20-22 – a large increase compared to the 2,500 who came when the event was last staged in 2023.
Organisers of the event, Aquafuture Spain, said this is partly due to decisions to switch from an annual to biennial staging, and to relocate the event to the IFEVI exhibition centre in Vigo.
Aquafuture Spain will feature 210 companies from 26 different countries, a 50% increase compared to the previous edition. There is a significant growth in the number of international companies exhibiting, including 12 Chinese companies participating in the event for the first time.
Institutional support
“The significant institutional support the project has received from the Xunta de Galicia (regional government), Vigo City Council, Pontevedra Provincial Council, Vigo Free Trade Zone, and Abanca has greatly helped consolidate this project in Galicia and promise a bright future,” organisers said in a press release.
The event offers an extensive programme of technical workshops, which will take place in different rooms of the venue. A panel discussion and seven roundtables discussions will be held in the Conference Room, featuring 40 international speakers and with the participation of the audience.
Each roundtable will address a topic of general interest and current relevance to the aquaculture sector.
Tuesday, May 20
Panel, 10:30-11:30am: Aquaculture: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. A space for intergenerational dialogue in which industry professionals with extensive experience, current experts, and young people just starting their professional careers will share their views on the evolution of aquaculture in Spain.
Roundtable 1, 3:00-4:00pm: Implementation of the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in the aquaculture industry. This panel will discuss how companies can comply with new legal requirements regarding sustainability.
Roundtable 2, 4:00-5:00pm: Technology and Artificial Intelligence applied to marketing and production. Best practices in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies in aquaculture, such as the optimisation of production processes.
Wednesday, May 21
Roundtable 3, 10:30-11:30am: Increasing production for sustainable global aquaculture. This panel will cover innovations in farming systems, improvements in resource management, and potential collaborations.
Roundtable 4, 11:30am-12:30pm: Circular innovation in aquaculture. This panel will discuss initiatives that transform aquaculture business models toward greater sustainability and profitability.
Roundtable 5, 12:30-1:30pm: Internationalisation in the aquaculture sector. Discussions will focus on changing consumer demands, opportunities in international markets, and strategies.
Roundtable 6, 3:00-4:30pm: Future food trends and alternative proteins. Emerging trends in aquaculture product consumption, changes in demand, and market opportunities will be analysed.
Roundtable 7, 4:30-5:30pm: Ensuring a sustainable supply of bivalve seed: challenges and opportunities for aquaculture and shellfish farming in Galicia (Galicia Marine Sciences Program, ThinkInAzul).
Aquafuture Spain will also have two presentation rooms where companies, institutions, and research centres will present their projects, research, services, and more. These include: Alex Group, Laksesystemers, Akva Group, Irta, iArcus, Ciimar, BioMar, Grupo Eurored, Morenot, Kovalus, and Flatlantic.
