The Tilapia 2010 conference kicks off on Wednesday at the Hotel Istana in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This year’s three-day event has attracted a global audience of tilapia experts, from fish farmers and processors to importers/exporters and government officials.
Tilapia 2010 co-coordinator Tarlochan Singh of Infofish told SeafoodSource that this year’s event features 210 registered delegates from 27 countries — a figure that may exceed 250 by opening day.
“The interest in the conference is also a reflection of the important role tilapia has assumed in the world aquaculture and seafood sector in recent years,” said Singh.
This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, a professor in the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In his opening address, Fitzsimmons will talk about aquaculture’s role in the global food supply, the importance of food security and the rise in demand for “aquatic chicken.”
Global tilapia production is expected to top 3.2 million metric tons this year, ahead of global salmon production, according to Fitzsimmons.
Speakers with a wide range of expertise are giving presentations on a variety of subjects, including sustainability, marketing and technology. Experts from China, Taiwan, Ecuador, Norway, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States will all share their insight on the growth of the global tilapia industry.
The conference concludes on Friday. Event organizers include Infofish, Malaysia’s Ministry of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Globefish, the Network of Agriculture Centers in Asia Pacific and the Worldfish Center.
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