WGAQUA's inaugural meeting took place at Ifremer in Palavas, France 18–22 March 2013, where 24 researchers from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Spain, UK and United-States convened for participation.
WGAQUA is now established as a single group following the existence of several other ICES expert groups which have, since 1977, contributed to developing science on the environmental dependence and effects of aquaculture. The group's mandate is to focus on aquaculture-environment interactions and to address advisory and science requests related to the sustainability of aquaculture farming practices made by member states.
The following themes were discussed during the meeting: Aquaculture Technologies and Ecological Services, Sustainable Aquaculture Management Approaches, and Environment and Fisheries Interactions with Aquaculture. The group also visited both Ifremer Experimental Marine Aquaculture Platform in Palavas and a shellfish farm located on Thau lagoon (Medithau).
For more information, please contact the WGAQUA chairs: Myriam Callier (France), Ole J. Torrissen (Norway), and Dave Jackson (Ireland)