Sea Lice Conference postponed for a year
The 13th International Sea Lice International Conference due to be held in the Faroe Islands in September has been postponed for a year because of precautionary measures related to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The conference had been scheduled for September 7-11 in Tórshavn. Organising company Fiskaaling is now rescheduling for September 2021.
The biennial conference is the major forum of sea lice research, and a central focus for discussion of sea lice issues and development within the field of sea lice research and management.
Responsible course of action
Fiskaaling chief executive Jóhanna Lava Køtlum said the company was sorry the event had to be postponed but that the decision was “the right and responsible course of action”.
The company said the conference attracts participants from all over the world, especially from fish farming countries such as Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Chile, and that some countries had already declared that they will not be sending delegations across the country’s borders in 2020.
Also, important research work had been significantly delayed during the Covid-19 outbreak, leaving the conference short of relevant content.
Venue bookings
Fiskaaling said it is working in cooperation with Greengate Incoming to reschedule hotel and venue bookings. Deadlines for registration, submission of abstracts, etc. will be changed accordingly.
Scotland originally won the right to host the conference during the 12th conference in Punta Arenas, Chile, in 2018. It beat Australia and the Faroes in a vote by delegates after a pitch by Polly Douglas, aquaculture innovations manager at the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), on behalf of the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture.
The Faroes took over the host role after organisers in Scotland pulled out because of agenda problems.
