Topics to be covered include:

Program Highlights

Symposium 1 - RAS in Penaeid Shrimp Culture
This symposium highlights the application of recirculating technologies in penaeid shrimp culture. Presentations cover topics such as nursery production, raising shrimp to market size, feeds for recirculating shrimp production systems, and the economics of recirculating shrimp production systems.

Symposium 2 - Penaeid Shrimp Culture Extended
This second session on shrimp culture will cover topics including shrimp genetics, water quality, and microbial ecology, making a full day of presentations and discussion on penaeid shrimp aquaculture.

Symposium 3 - Developing Aquaculture Markets That Are Not Commodity Markets
When aquaculturists sell an undifferentiated product to the masses, they enter the commodity market, where only the low cost producers survive. Aquaculturists who cannot compete within this model must instead develop specialized markets that are not served by global competition. This session will explore what innovative producers are doing to develop specialized markets and make their companies successful.

Symposium 4 - Current Issues in Fish Health
This session focuses on common diseases and treatment options for cultured freshwater and marine finfish. Drug availability and appropriate usage will also be discussed.

Symposium 5 - Intensive Marine Finfish Production
This session explores the global status of culture system and production issues relating to emerging marine finfish species in the aquaculture sector, with an emphasis upon cobia (Rachycentron canadum), black sea bass (Centropristis striata), and cod (Gadus morhua). A focus on hatchery and larviculture in RAS, including system design and production protocols, will demonstrate recent advances for these species with respect to fingerling production.

AES Session I - Marine Recirculating Aquaculture Systems for Mollusks
The technology of Marine RAS for bivalve culture will be explored, along with specialized management techniques needed for optimal maintenance or production of mollusks.

AES Session II - Engineering Issues for Marine Systems - Design, Biosecurity, and Storm Preparation
Recent disasters have given new urgency to plans that safeguard the productivity and biosecurity of coastal marine aquaculture systems. Contingency planning and preparations will be covered in this session, focusing on the unique challenges faced by marine RAS operations.

Freshwater Institute Session - Improvements in Aquaculture Waste Management Practices
The management of liquid and solid wastes from recirculating systems will be covered in this session. Several innovations in waste management will be presented, with a discussion of their applications in other systems and for other species of fish.