Aquaculture Roundtable Series 2018 to discuss issues facing Asian shrimp industry

Singapore-based Aqua Culture Asia Pacific and Corporate Media Services will organize The Aquaculture Roundtable Series 2018 (TARS 2018) to discuss pressing issues affecting the shrimp industry in Asia.

The conference will be held at the Shangri-la Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 15 to 16 August. 

“Today the industry is being sustained by high prices, which is not expected to continue. Living with diseases, inconsistent harvest volumes and crop losses may be the new normal, but what the industry needs now is a revolutionary change,” said Zuridah Merican, editor of Aqua Culture Asia Pacific, and chairperson of TARS 2018. “This requires a much-needed shift in production paradigms if Asia is to reach the global production levels prior to the EMS [early mortality syndrome] crisis.”

The conference will discuss the current state of Asia’s shrimp aquaculture industry, new approaches for improving shrimp production, higher level of control, productivity and cost efficiency, and transformation to ensure the future of the industry. 

India, which has seen a massive ramp-up in its shrimp production; Vietnam, which has been resilient in facing down the threat of aquatic diseases; and Thailand, which has achieved greater production efficiency after its own troubles with EMS, have been selected for country reviews in this year’s conference, Zuridah added.

Participants, including international experts and key stakeholders from the industry and academia, will share knowledge, exchange insights and experiences at the plenary, interactive breakout sessions, and panel discussions, the organizers said in a statement.