Fourteenth Flemish Aquaculture Symposium

Would you like to explore the future of Flemish aquaculture together with other professionals and interested stakeholders from the sector? Then join the Flemish Aquaculture Symposium 2026 on 26 March 2026 at Inagro in Rumbeke-Beitem, or follow the programme online.

Type

On-site and online, Activity for members and non-members

Date

Thursday, Mar 26 2026 · 9:30am - 12:30pm

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Address

Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Rumbeke-Beitem

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On 26 March 2026, the Flemish Aquaculture Symposium 2026 will take place at Inagro, the practice-oriented research and knowledge centre for agriculture and horticulture in West Flanders. During this symposium, all eight ongoing Flemish research projects funded under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) will be presented.

The event brings together researchers, practice partners and other stakeholders to discuss the latest developments and research results in Flemish aquaculture. The programme includes sessions on sustainable shrimp farming, sustainable production of aquaculture feed, sturgeon research, recirculating aquaculture systems, seaweed optimisation, and other innovative applications for the sector.

Check out the detailed programme

09:00	Registration & coffee
09:30	Introduction: Welcome Sylvie Becaus (Marifish.inc) Goals of the event Ann Vanreusel (EMBRC-BE) Vlaams Aquacultuur Platform Stefan Teerlinck (Inagro)
10:00	Opening keynote: Prospects of seaweed cultivation and the opportunities of seaweed sustainable aquaculture Philippe Potin (Sorbonne University)
10:30	Sustainable aquaculture in open sea Offshore aquaculture in Belgian windparks; lessons learned from the UNITED and ULTFARMS projects Jessica Knoop, Annelies Declercq & Olivier De Clerck (Ghent University) The Belgian vision on sustainable aquaculture in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Tine Miet Van Maele (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) tbc. (ILVO)
11:15	Coffee break
11:45	Land-based aquaculture: a sustainable alternative for marine-based aquaculture? Engineering for the Optimisation of Land-Based Marine Aquaculture of Coastal Shellfish. Katja Philippart (NIOZ, Utrecht University) tbc Willy Verdonck (Belgian Caviar) BlueMarine3 project Vincent Vermeylen (Ghent University) tbc. Eric Wakkee (OOS International) tbc. Johan Verreth (Wageningen University & Research)
13:15	Lunch
14:00	Restorative aquaculture Feeding the future: Redefining Responsible Feed for Aquaculture. Maurane Martin Hernandez (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) Reefcovery project. Molly Hughes (Ghent University) Restoration in ULTFARMS - Artificial Hard substrate garden. Wannes De Clercq (Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences) Towards restorative aquaculture of flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) in northern Europe: a modeling approach. Brecht Stechele
15:00	Belgian initiatives in a context of ecological sustainable aquaculture The Ecosystem Approach for and in the Blue Bio Economy. Jurgen Adriaen (Blue Cluster) Environmental challenges related to cultivation of mussels in the North Sea. Donaat Mortelmans (Colruyt - Sea farm) Innovative monitoring of aquaculture - multibeam measurements to predict bivalve crops. Thomas Vandorpe (VLIZ)
15:45	Coffee break
16:15	Panelgesprek: How to safeguard ecological sustainable mariculture in Belgium? Moderator: Marijn Rabaut
17:00	Closing of the event: Belgian ambitions towards ecological considerations and sustainability in mariculture practices. Marijn Rabaut
17:15	Networking reception

Practical information

The symposium will take place at the Inagro facilities in Rumbeke-Beitem. You can also participate online. Participation is free of charge.

Would you like to attend? Don't hesitate and register for the symposium.

Please note the official language of this event is Dutch.

Interested in the afternoon programme?

In the afternoon, Inagro, in cooperation with the Interreg AEP-Pulse project, will organise an in-depth programme focusing on the valorisation of residual streams and Aqua-Entomo-Ponics. You are most welcome to take part.

Check out the programme and register