The Asia-Pacific chapter of World Aquaculture Society is organising the 2011 Asia-Pacific conference and exposition, the Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2011, in the city.
The mega event, being jointly hosted by the College of Fisheries, Kerala Agricultural University, Panangad and the State Fisheries Department, would be held from January 17 to 21 at the Le Meridian Convention Centre where more than 2,000 delegates, including experts from various countries abroad, are expected to participate.
Along with the Aquaculture meet, a conference on freshwater prawns, Giant Prawn 2011, would also be held. Addressing a press meet in this regard, K. R. Vishwambharan, Vice-Chancellor, KAU, said the confluence of people from different areas in the fishing sector is expected to benefit the fishermen. The global fish production was about 145 million tonnes, according to the statistics given by Food and Agriculture Organisation.
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The State contributes about 6.5 lakh tonnes and most of this comes from the sea. Only about 12 per cent, about 80,000 tonnes, comes from the inland sector. At the press meet, he released the logo for the Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2011.
Meena Kumari, director, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, launched the website www.apa2011.org for the conference. Mohan Kumaran Nair, Dean of the College of Fisheries, said that the country would soon have a water leasing policy to promote aquaculture. There would be arrangements for about a thousand fishermen to register at the conference free of cost, he said.