Programme

General information


The conference will start on Monday evening, 6 July, with registration and a social get-together and ends on Thursday 9 July at 18h.

Presentation time

Invited keynote lectures (KL): 30 minutes (25 min talk + 5 min Q&A)

Contributed talks (CT): 15 minutes (12 min talk + 3 min Q&A)

Poster teasers (PT): 3 minutes without Q&A (it is recommended to provide 2-3 slides that should incite people to visit your poster!)

Speakers

Please transfer your presentation file to conference PC on podium before new session starts.

Poster presentation

Please place your poster (Size: A0 - Width: 841 mm, Height: 1189 mm, portrait orientation) according to the number provided in the programme. Posters should be put up during arrival in the afternoon Day 0 and remain throughout the conference.

Prices

A price will be awarded to Master/PhD students for the best oral presentation and the best poster. 


 

Preliminary Programme including confirmed Keynote lectures

 

Day 0 - Monday 6th July

pm

Arrival & registration

19:00

Welcome get-together

Day 1 - Tuesday 7th July 2026

8:15-8:45

Registration-welcome

8:45-9:00

Welcome address

9:00-9:30

Introductory lecture by P. Kestemont

 

Session 1 - Physiology of reproduction

9:30-10:00

Keynote 1 by C. Mylonas: Fish reproduction control in Mediterranean aquaculture

10:00-10:30

2 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

10:30-11:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

11:00-11:30

Keynote 2 by D. Zarski: Non-genetic inheritance factors as key drivers shaping progeny phenotype and intergenerational adaptability to aquaculture conditions

11:30-12:00

2 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

12:00-12:20

Poster teasers (3 or 5 min)

12:20-13:20

Walking lunch on site

 

Session 2 - Physiology of Feeding and Nutrition

13:20-13:50

 Keynote 3 by M. Izquierdo: Essential fatty acids in hatchery diets: functions, levels and interactions

13:50-14:35

3 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

 

Session 2 - Physiology of Feeding and Nutrition (larval stage)

14:35-15:05

Keynote 4 by I. Lund: Prospects of using live feed substitutes in early larval fish nutrition: Current status and remaining challenges

15:05-15:30

Coffee break-poster viewing

15:30-16:00

Keynote 5 by E. Gisbert: Skeletal Deformities in Fish: The Holy Grail of the Aquaculture Industry

16:00-16:30

Keynote 6 by M. Saroglia: How Diet, Genotype, and Environment Shape Fish Microbiota for a Sustainable Aquaculture.

16:30-16:45

1 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

16:45-17:00

Poster teasers (3 or 5 min)

17:00-18:30

Beer/wine and cheese party or visits Namur (Citadelle, wine cellar GL)

19:00

Dinner (free)

   

Day 2-Wednesday 8th July 2026

 

Session 3 - Fish immunology and health

9:00-9:30

Keynote 6 by D. Montero: Nutritional strategies to enhance fish health and welfare

9:30-10:15

3 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

10:15-10:30

Poster teasers (3 or 5 min)

10:30-11:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

11:00-11:30

Keynote 7 by L. Tort: Interactive immuno-neuroendocrine response to stress

11:30-12:15

3 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

12:15-13:15

Walking lunch on site

13:15-13:45

Keynote 8 by A. Vanderplasschen: The Carp and Its Herpesvirus: A Fascinating Journey into Immune System Discoveries

 

Session 4 -Physiology of stress and welfare

13:45-14:15

Keynote 9 by M. Gesto: Physiology of stress and its connections to Operational Welfare Indicators (OWIs) in aquaculture

14:15-15:00

3 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

15:00-15:30

Coffee break-poster viewing

15:30-16:00

Keynote 10 by S. Milla: New strategies to evaluate and encourage fish welfare in aquaculture

16:00-16:30

3 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

 

Session 5 - Fish Physiology and behavior

16:30-17:00

Keynote 11 by E. Thoré: Reading stress through animal behaviour

17:00-17:15

Poster teasers (3 or 5 min)

17:15-19:45

Visit aquaculture facilities (t.b.c.) or resting time

20:00

Gala dinner

   

Day 3-Thurdsay 9th July 2026

 

Session 6 - Fish genetics and epigenetics

9:00-9:30

Keynote 12 by M. Vandeputte: Which phenotypes for selective breeding in aquaculture?

9:30-10:00

Keynote 13 by F. Farnir: Genomic selection in aquaculture: current status, challenges and prospects

10:00-10:30

1 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

10:30-11:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

11:00-11:30

Keynote 14 by F. Piferrer: Epigenetics in Aquaculture: recent developments and prospects

11:30-12:00

2 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

 

Session 7 - Fish diversification/domestication

12:00-12:30

Keynote 15 by P. Fontaine: The domestication of new species in fish farming: assessment, challenges and prospects

12:30-13:30

Walking lunch on site

13:30-14:00

Keynote 16 by N.T.Phuong: Domestication of indigenous fishes: A significant contribution to the unprecedented development of Aquaculture in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam

14:00-14:30

2 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

 

Session 8 - Fish physiology and sustainable aquaculture system

14:30-15:00

Keynote 17 by C. Rougeot Sustainable aquaculture system: a new way for fish welfare improvement and environment preservation

15:00-15:30

Coffee break-poster viewing

 

Session 9 - Fish Physiology and conservation

15:30-16:00

Keynote 18 by V. Cornet: Integrative Research to Improve Atlantic Salmon Health and Fitness Supporting Restocking Program in the Meuse Basin

16:00-16:45

3 contributed talks (12 min + 3 min discussion)

16:45-17:00

Poster teasers (3 or 5 min)

17:00-18:00

Awards and closure ceremony