BIOTEC and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) organized Workshop on Scientific, Technological and Social Solutions for Sustainable Aquaculture in Thailand: a key player in global aquatic food supply on 21 – 25 March 2016 at The Sukosol Bangkok Hotel, Thailand. The event brought in experts and stakeholders to identify solutions for mitigating disease-induced yield loss in aquaculture and focus on innovative technologies (e.g. ‘point of need’ diagnostics, smartphone reporting systems and cutting edge therapeutics based on disruption of pathogen gene expression). The supply chain (from farmer to policy maker) in a major production nation (Thailand) and a net consuming nation (UK) were engaged to set a joint responsibility for solving these global issues. The workshop was coordinated by Prof. Grant D Stentiford (Cefas, UK) and Dr. Kallaya Sritunyalucksana (BIOTEC, Thailand), with mentorship provided by four leading researchers: Prof. Timothy Flegel, (Centex Shrimp, Mahidol University, Thailand), Prof. Boonsirm Withyachumnarnkul (Centex Shrimp, Mahidol University, Thailand), Dr. David Bass (Cefas and the Natural History Museum, UK) and Dr. Bryony Williams (University of Exeter, UK).
The Workshop was attended by 33 early-career researchers, 16 from Thailand and 17 from the UK. During the 5-day workshop, participants made presentations and discuss their research with peers and workshop mentors, as well as to broaden their industrial perspective through lectures from representatives of industry, academia, government and inter-governmental bodies. Participants also gained hands-on experience in pond-side diagnostic methods and an opportunity to visit to a commercial shrimp farm. Workshop served as an excellent platform to promote interactions and opportunities for networking among participants and mentors and a shared approach to problem solving pertinent to the Thai, and wider Asian aquaculture industry.
This Workshop was supported by Newton Fund Researcher Links Workshop Programme, funded by The British Council and the Thailand Research Fund to encourage international research collaboration between ambitious young researchers from the UK and Thailand.