Welcome dinner

Welcome addresses

High-level representatives of Greece, the European Union, the GFCM and other relevant authorities will open the conference.

• Keynote address
  From Bari 2014 to Heraklion 2024: a journey towards sustainable aquaculture
  This presentation will explore the transformative decade-long journey from Bari to Heraklion, highlighting the substantial progress made, as well as the remaining and emerging challenges that must be met to fulfill the objectives of the GFCM 2030 Strategy.
  Miguel Bernal, Executive Secretary, GFCM
• Vision and commitments for a sustainable aquaculture sector by 2030
  High-level representatives from Mediterranean and Black Sea countries will assess progress and future priorities in their countries and present their visions, as well as their contributions to the objectives of the GFCM 2030 Strategy.
  

Lunch break

Thematic segment
Setting goals and identifying means for sustainable and thriving aquaculture in a changing world

Thematic session 1
Aquaculture food production systems of today and tomorrow

• Keynote address
  Helping coastal communities to fulfil the potential of the aquaculture sector in the region
  Elisa Ravagnan, Chief Scientist, Norwegian Research Center, Norway
• Panel 1
  Promoting food security in a changing world
  Emilia Gargallo Gonzalez, Policy Officer, European Commission
  Katia El Kabbout, Agricultural Engineer, Democratic Movement for Culture and Development, Lebanon
  Galin Nikolov, Associate Professor, Trakia University, Bulgaria
  Yasmin Abdallah, Technical Office Director, Suez Canal Aquaculture Company, Egypt
• Panel 2
  Promoting responsible investment for a thriving aquaculture sector
  Philippos Papageorgiou, Coordinator of the Technical Advisory Group on Governance and Responsible Investment, GFCM
  Samir Bachouche, Blue Economy Expert, WestMED Initiative
  Nino Chobaniani, Chairperson, Georgian Fish Farmers Association, Georgia
  Dilyara Bakhtieva, Policy Assistant, European Commission

Side event

• The FAO Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture
  FAO, European Commission, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (Tunisia), Mersin University (Türkiye)

Reception

Side event

• Artificial intelligence and aquaculture
  Norwegian Research Centre (Norway), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (Greece), BiOceanOr (France)

Thematic session 2
Advancing towards ecologically sustainable aquaculture food production systems

• Keynote address
  Restorative aquaculture and ecosystem health: innovative strategies designed to revitalize aquaculture practices and improve ecosystem well-being
  Mohamed Salah Romdhane, Director of the Fisheries and Environmental Engineering Department, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, Tunisia
• Panel 3
  Restorative aquaculture: nurturing ecosystem health
  Enric Gisbert, Head of the Aquaculture Programme, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Spain
  Simona Paolacci, Head of Research, Development and Innovation, AquaBioTech Group, Malta
  Ioannis Karakassis, Professor of Marine Biology, University of Crete, Greece
  Magda Nenciu, Senior Scientific Researcher, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, Romania
• Panel 4
  Building resilient aquaculture in the face of a changing climate
  Javier Ojeda, General Secretary, Federation of European Aquaculture Producers
  Nikos Papandroulakis, Research Director, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece
  Elisa Ravagnan, Chief Scientist, Norwegian Research Centre, Norway
  Tanja Šegvić Bubić, Research Scientist, Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Croatia

Lunch break and side events

• Sharing knowledge and developing capacity
  12.30–13.15
  GFCM, Hellenic Center for Marine Research (Greece), University of Crete (Greece), European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare on Aquatic Species
• Empowering women and small-scale producers in aquaculture
  13.45–14.30
  Network of Women in Aquaculture, Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (Greece), New Agriculture New Generation (Greece)

Thematic session 3
Navigating change: strategies facing current and emerging challenges

• Keynote address
  Strategies and insights for a transformative journey for the aquaculture sector to address existing and emerging challenges
  Lahsen Ababouch, Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Expert
• Panel 5
  Blue Transformation as a catalyst for sustainable aquaculture development
  Lara Barazi-Geroulanou, President, Federation of European Aquaculture Producers
  Ismini Bogdanou, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization, Greece
  Alessio Bonaldo, Coordinator of the Technical Advisory Group on Innovation and Technology, GFCM
  Massad Ejbeh, Manager, Aquafarm, Lebanon
• Panel 6
  Ensuring the well-being of farmed aquatic species
  Nadia Cherif, Coordinator of the Technical Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health and Biosecurity, GFCM
  Anna Toffan, Veterinarian, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
  Michail Pavlidis, Director, European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare on Aquatic Species
  Mohamed Salah Azaza, Director of the Aquaculture Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Tunisia

Closing session

This session will summarize the main messages from the high-level segment and the thematic sessions, as well as the necessary follow up actions towards the development of sustainable aquaculture in the region.