Benchmark : Inaugural conference draws sector stars

Our inaugural Aquaculture UK conference, June 14-15, will feature talks from salmon farmers, shellfish growers, pioneering geneticists, fish vets, feed experts, and regulators.

Global Managing Director of Benchmark's Fish Vet Group, Hamish Rodger, will address the challenge of new and emerging finfish disease.

Marine Harvest's John Richmond will offer advice on the design and building of large scale RAS systems, Adam Hughes of SAMS (Scottish Association for Marine Science) will explain the merits of IMTA, Nicki Holmyard will explore mollusc farming methods, and Stirling's Andrew Davie will investigate the diversification of farmed species in the UK.

Grant Stentiford of the government body Cefas will look at shellfish health.

Feed company Cargill's Ian Carr will highlight innovations in health feeds, IFFO's Neil Auchterlonie will tackle the continuing importance of marine ingredients, and Stirling's Matthew Sprague will report on developments in salmon and trout nutrition.

Cutting edge science from the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Norway's Avaforsk Genetics Centre and Xelect in St Andrews will give delegates up to date insights into new breeding technologies in aquaculture.

At the end of day one, Gorjan Nikolik of Rabobank will deliver a finance perspective, and there will be a presentation from Evonik on sea lice treatments.