A South Australian industry that barely existed 30 years ago will next week be an international showcase as Adelaide hosts 2500 delegates to the World Aquaculture Congress.
Commercial aquaculture, or fish farming as its often known, has grown exponentially in the last three decades.
Global production has soared from 4 million tonnes in the mid-1980s to more than 80 million tonnes by 2010.
Australia embraced prawn farming in 1986 and later barramundi aquaculture.
Port Lincoln then became the industry focal point when it expanded into cage-rearing of tuna in Boston Bay.
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Organisers of the World Aquaculture Conference will showcase the Eyre Peninsula-based sector after the conference ends.
Bid for and won for Adelaide by the Adelaide Convention Bureau, the June 7-11 event will include tours to all of SA’s world-renowned aquaculture regions including a large delegation headed for Eyre Peninsula.
South Australia produces one third of Australia’s farmed seafood.
Adelaide Convention Bureau CEO, Damien Kitto said the conference is also a boost for the state’s convention businesses.
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“Conventions provide an ideal scenario for the host city to showcase their areas of expertise within the genre,” he said.
“Apart from the $14m economic benefit and more than 121 jobs this event will provide to SA, the long term benefits resulting from opportunities for trade and investment, fostering industry innovation, destination profile as well as tourism are far reaching.
“With aquaculture growing at a rate of 11% per year and comprising one third of the world’s food supply, Tourism Australia’s current positioning of Australia’s food and wine offering and the quality of our local industry with its quality of produce and innovation, this congress is perfectly timed for SA.”
Such is the anticipation of the calibre of the guests that all 250 exhibitor sites sold well and truly ahead of schedule.
About 250 delegates will undertake a three-day visit to Port Lincoln following the congress to tour aquaculture facilities, while 50 delegates will undertake a technical tour of the SARDI facility at West Beach.
The convention bid was a partnership between the Adelaide Convention Bureau, The State Government, Primary Industries and Resources SA, SA Research and Development Institute, SATC and the Adelaide Convention Centre.
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