Dublin to host Wefta conference

The theme for Wefta's conference, which is hosted by Ireland’s seafood development agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and takes place from 9-12 October at the Aviva Stadium, is "Innovative Technologies for Healthy and Sustainable Seafood production".

International experts across every field of seafood R&D will provide in-depth insights across all fish, shellfish and seaweed species.

John Fagan, BIM senior seafood technologist and chair of Wefta 2017, said: “As Ireland’s seafood industry looks to new technologies to meet the challenges of increasing shelf-life, transporting processed and live seafood and adding additional value to our key markets, this annual conference will give us access to leaders in seafood innovation and insights into key R&D trends and breakthroughs which will impact production techniques and market access in coming years.”

BIM works with the Irish seafood sector to add value to processing, aquaculture and fisheries companies and individuals, and aims to ensure clients have access to the best-in-class innovative technologies and knowledge-base internationally. The scientific content at Wefta presents opportunities to learn from the leaders in seafood R&D and to integrate knowledge and new technologies on fishing vessels, aquaculture facilities and on the factory floor.

Submissions invited

The call for abstracts for the conference opens tomorrow.

Fagan added: “The Gaelic word for Ireland – Eire - provides us with an excellent acronym to invite submissions under the four priority areas;

“Environmentally sustainable aquaculture and fisheries technologies;

Innovative and sustainable processing and packaging technologies;

Research into consumer attitudes and market drivers for seafood;

Emerging health and wellness attributes of seafood products.

“Wefta has developed as the leading platform for seafood R&D experts to discuss hot topics and major breakthroughs with a combination of keynote lectures, oral and poster sessions and opportunities for active discussion and networking with SMEs from the seafood sector.

Technological breakthroughs

“This annual conference allows experts working in diverse fields to understand key R&D trends and breakthroughs which underpin knowledge of how to produce the best seafood and ingredients and to gain first-hand knowledge of technological breakthroughs which will impact production techniques and markets in coming years.”