Highlands conference sets scene for aquaculture awards
This year’s Aquaculture Awards, to be held in Inverness on June 19, will be preceded by a one-day conference.
Scotland’s Rural Affairs Minister, Mairi Gougeon, will address delegates in a video message ahead of the awards ceremony and gala dinner at the Macdonald Drumossie Hotel.
The conference, from 10am to 4pm, will be launched by Scottish aquaculture technology pioneer Ace Aquatec investigating how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every stage of fish farming operations, from early fish health detection and biomass estimation to feed optimisation and sustainability monitoring.
AI revolution
Ace Aquaculture chief technology officer Keith Davidson will open the session before welcoming the insights of the frontline farmers leading the AI revolution in the sector.
Next up is a special focus on feed, with SPAROS, Veramaris and the University of Stirling engaging in a roundtable discussion on the impact of digital tools in the salmon industry.
The Institute of Aquaculture’s Trevor Telfer, Ana Nobre from SPAROS, and Veramaris’s Stephanie Arnott will share practical examples and experiences in feeding practices.
Site selection
In the afternoon, the UK Agri-Tech Centre is hosting Stop Treading Water: The Next Wave in Responsible Aquaculture, a panel session delving into the role of strategic site selection and the potential for growth through innovation across finfish, shellfish and seaweed cultivation.
Panellists include Agri-Tech Aquaculture innovation lead Martin Sutcliffe, Salmon Scotland’s Iain Berrill, Anneli Hill of Crown Estate Scotland, and Rhianna Rees of the Scottish Seaweed Industry Association.
Semi-open aquaculture systems are the subject of the next talk, presented by Andrew Bett, founder and CEO of Salar Pursuits. A Scottish based business, Salar has developed permeable mesh enclosures to protect farmed salmonids from sea lice and environmental challenges such as macro jellyfish and harmful algal blooms.
The company is attracting interest and investment in Europe and is set to begin full-scale trials in Norway this year.
High-pressure
The final session of the day comes from aquaculture supplier NLB, which manufactures high-pressure water jetting pumps specifically designed to clean fish farm nets.
The pumps reduce downtime, extend service life, and cut back on maintenance, while contributing to cleaner nets, better water quality, and improved fish health, says David Beckington, vice president of onternational sales at the US based company.
In the evening, the Drumossie Macdonald Hotel will throw open its doors for the Aquaculture Awards, hosted by broadcaster, comedian and panto star Grant Stott.
Cheri Arvonio, Event Director at organiser Diversified Communications, said: "We are delighted to announce details of our brand new awards day conference and hope to spark some lively debates before the evening’s presentations.
"With an introduction from Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, and contributions from a wide range of aquaculture experts, we anticipate a thought-provoking and stimulating sector get-together before our annual awards showcase."
See here for the full conference programme.
