By Atuna
Times when the tuna industry could operate far away from the public attention are over. Sustainability is the new challenge and becoming an indispensable issue in marketing tuna products. The by catch of tuna fishing is a main issue in a worldwide debate on tuna consumption in the years to come.
These issues are discussed at the third edition of the European Tuna Conference that will be held on the 2nd of May in the Sheraton Hotel in Brussels. The conference takes places at a moment that the tuna industry is getting more in the centre of mainstream attention, news and public policy debate. At the Conference vital topics to the industry will be presented through speakers, debates, analysis and round tables.
Henk Brus, managing director of the organizing company Atuna thinks the Conference will attend the core issues for an industry that has started to recognize the challenge of new responsibilities. “We feel confident that our conference will provide decision makers in tuna companies and industry related organizations that crucial information that they need to shape their future policies.â€
In “the Tuna By-Catch Debateâ€, scientists and decision makers of leading international organisations in defending sea life and sustainable fishery (WWF, Greenpeace, ISSF, SFP and EII) will explain their views on the priorities in preventing by-catch. Also the pro and contra’s of the much debated Fish Aggregating Devices (Fad’s) will be a part of the discussion. Can tuna be fished economically without the use of FADs ?
The European Tuna Conference offers the opportunity to meet leading raw material suppliers, fishing companies, processors, tuna brands distributors, as well as traders, bankers and NGO’s in presentations and debate on the challenges and opportunities in one of the biggest and fast moving seafood industries on a worldwide scale.
Not only the state of global tuna stocks, catch certificates and IUU regulations will be attended. Sustainability and other environmental issues are of growing importance up to the point that they are becoming a core part of the marketing and the relations with the consumers. The Marine Stewardship Council and Friends of the Sea Tuna will give the latest news of their certification on tuna.
The conference is aimed at the tuna professionals in the European market who deal with the production, packing, import and export, marketing and distribution of fresh, frozen and canned tuna. Events like the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the turmoil on the food markets will not pass the tuna industry unnoticed. The conference will attend the drivers affecting this year’s price volatility and tuna market overviews within Europe.
The first week of May Brussels has more to offer for anyone involved in fishing, canning, eating, studying and preserving tuna. Just following the 2011 European Tuna conference, the European Seafood Exposition will be organized from the 3rd to the 5th of May. Two events not to miss for who cares for tuna.
Conference Program and registration information are available on www.europeantunaconference.com