Shrimp 2019 was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 12-14 November at the JW Marriot Hotel, jointly organised by INFOFISH, the Thai Department of Fisheries, NACA and the Thai Shrimp Association. The conference provided a forum for publicising shrimp farming technology, production standards, harvesting, and processing products, as well as related trade and investment. Over 200 participants attended from all regions of the world.

The theme of the conference was “Modelling for Sustainability”. A special opening address was given by His Excellency, The Hon. Semi Koroilavesau, Minister for Fisheries, Fiji, who spoke about the need to address climate change, IUU fishing, and the potential for aquaculture to offset pressure on wild fisheries, food security and import substitution.

Ms. Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Director of INFOFISH, and Mr Thaworn Jirasophonrak, Deputy Director-General of the Thai Department of Fisheries, gave opening remarks.

Dr Robins McIntosh, Executive Vice President, Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Ltd gave a keynote address “Modelling the Shrimp Industry Towards Sustainability”, in which he discussed the establishment of sustainable practices that both reduced costs and improved the reliability of shrimp farming. He also gave a separate and thought provoking presentation on “Facts, truths and myths about SPF, SPR and SPT shrimp in aquaculture”.

NACA staff Dr Yuan Derun, Coordinator of Sustainable Farming Systems and Training programmes, spoke on Ecological approaches to better sustainability of shrimp culture in China. Dr Eduardo Leano Coordinator NACA’s Aquatic Animal Health Programme spoke on Biosecurity in shrimp aquaculture.

INFOFISH is a regional intergovernmental organisation for marketing information and technical advisory services for fisheries products in the Asian and Pacific region. It was originally launched in 1981 as a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It has 13 member nations in the Asia-Pacific region.