Panama will host the LACQUA23 congress

Panama will host the Aquaculture Congress of Latin America and the Caribbean of the regional branch of the World Aquaculture Society – LACQUA23, an event that will bring together more than a thousand people, experts and representatives of 70 companies aimed at getting to know the progress and perspectives of the activity.

LACQUA23 will have direct sponsorship from the Water Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP); as well as with the support of the Tourism Promotion Fund and the Panamanian Association of Aquaculture Growers.

The congress will take place next week, from April 18 to 21 at the RIU Plaza Hotel in Panama City, where 155 papers and studies on aquaculture at the regional and global levels will be presented, divided into three plenary sessions. In addition, there is also an exhibition area with 80 stands for the demonstration and offer of products and services, where companies from Latin America, the United States of America, Europe, Africa and Asia will participate.

Among the companies that will be present are Zoetis, Ecotechnology Solutions, Bio UV, ETEC, Solacua, Igusol, ESE INTEC, Jefo, Aquarius Lawyer, Skretting, Molecularvet, Biomar, USSEC, Blue Aqua, Huverpharma, MSD, Faivre, Cargill – Motiv, Center for Aquaculture Technologies, LAPP, Trovan, Tecnoacua, Prilabsa, Great Salt Lake Artemia, Virbac, Zeigler, SouthFresh Feeds, Ocean Star International, Acuarios del Mar, Aquatic Equipment & Design Inc. Agrantech, Disagro, among others.

During LACQUA23, there will be academic and technical sessions on aquaculture health, nutrition and feeding, genetics, production systems, innovation and sessions focused on farming species such as shrimp, tilapia and marine fish; spread over three full days in the morning and afternoon.

The organization of the event informed that LACQUA23 will have two special sessions, the first one entitled “Improving the performance and sustainability of warm water fishes through feeding”.

The director of ARAP, Flor Torrijos, pointed out that thanks to the teamwork with the Panama Aquaculture Association, it was possible to hold the first face-to-face congress of LACQUA after the pandemic.

Torrijos pointed out that this event will bring together the main leaders of the industry, just as Panama becomes the epicenter of major investments in areas such as Pepino Del Mar, Bojala, Cobia and Camarón.

He said great steps have been taken to promote aquaculture in Panama with the new Aquaculture Law of 2021, the most modern in the region that promotes investment and presents clear steps for licensing.

He even added that the same law created the National Commission for Aquaculture, which “officially met and we are about to promulgate regulations on aquaculture”.

“The level of high technology will reduce production costs by using alternative energy, along with achieving cheap food,” Torrijos pointed out.

According to the regional congress schedule, the plenary session on April 19 will be given by Dr. Daniel Benetti, and his talk will be Marine Fish Aquaculture in the Americas: From Technological Advances to Commercial Reality.

Benetti is a professor and director of aquaculture at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. He has more than 40 years of experience in aquaculture and environmental studies worldwide. He specializes in hatcheries and marine aquaculture technologies.

This expert has published more than 180 articles in science, technology and manufacturing, has been a consultant to the private and government sectors, and is internationally recognized for his contributions in the field.

On April 20, Carlos Salinas will be in charge of the plenum. His talk is titled “Oilseeds Outlook: Changing Trends in Global Trade,” according to event organizers.

dr. Salinas is currently the Americas Regional Director for the US Soybean Export Council. He is primarily responsible for the strategy and implementation of market development and commercialization of American soybeans in the region.

Dr. Salinas’ presentation will also cover the topic of the oilseed processing industry, which is undergoing significant changes.

With this in mind, the expert concludes that global soybean meal flows will change significantly over the next 5 years.

Finally, on April 21, a plenary session will be held by Dr. Wilson Wasielesky Jr., who received his BA in Oceanography from the Federal University of Rio Grande (1991), MA and PhD in Biological Oceanography from the Federal University of Rio. Grande (1994 and 2000).

He also held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of South Carolina/Waddell Mariculture Center in 2005. Wasielesky has supervised more than 150 undergraduate and graduate studies in aquaculture and biological oceanography. The expert is also the author of more than 200 scientific articles in indexed journals.