The Belgium-based organizers of the series of Seagriculture Conferences have announced plans for their very first in-person conference designed for the Asia-Pacific region, to be held 18-20 March 2025 in Adelaide, South Australia. The inaugural Asia-Pacific Conference was held in 2023 but it was on-line only.
Seagriculture Conferences, which began in Europe in 2012, focus on seaweed production, innovation and marketing. Seagriculture Asia-Pacific 2025 is supported by ASSA (the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance), whose mission is to promote environmentally responsible commercial farming of seaweed to provide food, feed and bioproducts. Assa’s partners include the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). The event is cosponsored by the government of South Australia and indirectly by the federal government, which has provided A$8 million to the Developing Australia’s Seaweed Farming Program to support investment in the Australian seaweed industry.
There are 1,500 species of seaweed in South Australia waters, a number exceeded only by Japan. The state government has identified the seaweed industry as a growth sector to be promoted not only for employment opportunities but for environmentally sustainable production of wide array of consumer and industrial goods, from food (e.g., ice cream) and skin care (e.g., shampoo) to ingredients in livestock feed and dental molds, among countless other uses.
Thousands of attendees are expected from all over the Asia-Pacific region as well as from far away. They will learn about the latest in farming technology, processes, and new products from a sustainable marine resource whose future seems to be boundless. Plus, on location, attendees will be able to join a site visit to the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), a research facility dedicated to the sustainable use of natural resources.
Further updates and registration information on the conference will be available on the website: www.seagriculture-asiapacific.com .
