International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium

The Global Artemia Summit was held on 27 June 2025 in Entebbe, Uganda, as a special session during the World Aquaculture Society’s Safari Conference. Co-hosted by the World Bank and FutureFish, the event brought together experts, government officials, private sector stakeholders, and researchers to discuss strategies for enhancing Artemia aquaculture and conservation.

The summit addressed growing concerns over Artemia resource constraints due to overharvesting, environmental degradation, and climate impacts, while highlighting new opportunities for sustainable production, particularly in Africa. Sessions explored integrated Artemia-salt farming systems, human food applications, value chain development, and public-private investment models. Panel discussions and networking sessions promoted knowledge exchange and south-south collaboration.

The first International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium (IAAC) conference was a free half day event held in Ostend, Belgium on 9 September, as a prelude to Larvi 2024. The conference presentations provided an overview of many of the issues surrounding Artemia, including management of salt lakes habitats that still provide the bulk of global Artemia supplies, Artemia biodiversity, hatching optimisation, and aquaculture of Artemia biomass in tanks and ponds. Video recordings of the presentations are available within.

Presentation by Liying Sui at the First International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium Conference, 9 September 2024, Ostend, Belgium.

Presentation by Brad Marden at the First International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium Conference, 9 September 2024, Ostend, Belgium.

Presentation by Phil Brown at the First International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium Conference, 9 September 2024, Ostend, Belgium.

Video recordings of presentations from the Training project on management of Artemia resources and salt lake habitats are available. The project addressed the hydrological, biological, ecological, wildlife and legislative aspects of Artemia resource management, conservation and farming. Artemia species and strains need to be safeguarded and characterised for use in aquaculture. The ecological heterogeneity and dynamics of their salt lake habitats, influenced by climate change and human intervention, require an integrated and coordinated approach to their management and utilisation. The project was co-organised by FAO, NACA, IAAC and funded by Alliance of National and International Science Organizations, and the Belgian Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences.

Opening remarks at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels. Speakers were: Xinhua Yuan, Philippe De Maeyer, Simon Wilkinson, Wang Zhongxiu.

Presentation by Alishir Kurban at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Patrick Sorgeloos at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Naser Agh at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Gao Song at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Ablatdyin Musaev at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Thomas Bosteels and Tim Hawkes at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Liudmila Litvinienko and Marina Korentovich at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels.

Presentation by Chingis Sossorbarmayev at the Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture, held 2-6 September 2024 in Rome / Brussels. Presented by Kamila Adyrbekova.

The first ever IAAC conference was a free half day even held in Ostend, Belgium on 9 September, as a prelude to Larvi 2024, which ran from 9-12 September. The conference featured twelve presentations introducing the IAAC and providing an overview of many of the issues surrounding Artemia, including management of salt lakes habitats that still provide the bulk of global Artemia supplies, Artemia biodiversity, hatching optimisation, and aquaculture of Artemia biomass in tanks and ponds. Video recordings of most will be posted shortly (the programme below will be updated with links).

The first IAAC Members’ Meeting was held in the afternoon following the IAAC Conference. The proceedings involved two panel discussions, by the Academic Sector and Private Sector respectively. The panels included remote members participating via Zoom.

The Training Programme on Safeguarding Salt Lake Brine Shrimp (Artemia) Resources for Aquaculture was held in Rome from 2-6 September. The course was attended by 37 participants from 15 countries. The programme was jointly organised by FAO, NACA / IAAC, and by RAOS and ANSO, which provided the financial support that made the activity possible. The programme featured a series of expert presentations on three themes: Salt lakes, management tools for Artemia cyst and biomass harvesting, and Artemia biodiversity. The full programme is appended below, and video recordings of most presentations will shortly be made available on NACA’s YouTube channel.

A training project addressing Artemia management and conservation from hydrological, biological, ecological, aquaculture, wildlife and legislative perspectives will be held in Rome, Italy, from 2-6 September 2024. The training is being organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), with the financial support of the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) and the Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences (RAOS), in cooperation with the International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium (IAAC). The project will address hydrological, biological, ecological, aquaculture, wildlife and legislative aspects of Artemia management and conservation.

The 8th fish and shellfish larviculture symposium (larvi '24) will be held in Ghent University, Belgium, from 9-12 September 2024. Capitalising on the previous “larvi” symposia (in ’91, ’95, ’01, ’05, ’09, ’13, ‘17), the Aquaculture R&D Consortium of Ghent University, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and SINTEF Ocean have joined again in the organizing committee for “larvi’24” and are inviting the academic as well as the private sector to attend the 8th Fish and Shellfish Larviculture Symposium. Bringing together European and non-European stakeholders, once again the latest progress in academic research and in the production sector will be reviewed, problems identified and avenues for future collaboration explored. Please download the 2nd announcement and programme for further information.

The first International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium conference will also be held in conjuction with larvi '24, on 9 September. See you there!

Hakai Magazine has just published a new article by Paul Greenberg: As the waters of Utah's Great Salt Lake recede, a dedicated group of locals is on a mission to safeguard its unique ecosystem and vital brine shrimp fishery. With half the lake already perilously low and the other half at risk of following suit within the decade, urgency permeates every aspect of their efforts. From conducting crucial research expeditions to implementing stringent management practices, these individuals navigate the strange, saline waters to ensure the survival of not just the brine shrimp but also the diverse entities that thrive in this extraordinary environment. Dive into the heart of their endeavor as they race against time to preserve a sanctuary threatened by the relentless march of climate change.