Conference/Event Name: 22nd International Symposium on Fish Nutrition and Feeding (ISFNF 2026)
Dates: 18 - 21 May 2026
International Host Organisation: The International Union of Nutritional Sciences Committee on Nutritional Sciences Committee on Nutrition and the Production of Fish and Shellfish
Number of delegates: 295 delegates - 70% international, 30% Australian
NT location: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Conference venue: Darwin Convention Centre
PCO: Agentur
Event Overview:
The 22nd International Symposium on Fish Nutrition and Feeding (ISFNF 2026) was staged at the Darwin Convention Centre in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) in mid-May 2026. The Symposium was last held in Australia in 2014, with more recent Symposia hosted in Mexico, Italy and Spain.
The ISFNF is the premier event of the global Aquaculture Nutrition community and now the International Society of Aquaculture Nutrition (ISAN) created in Darwin. Staged biennially, the Symposium is regarded as the leading global forum to discuss aquaculture nutrition innovation, sustainability and scientific progress.
Approximately 300 delegates from 42 countries were in attendance and comprised a global network of researchers, industry professionals, students and policy makers from universities, research and development centres and various companies – a total of 185 organisations were represented.
The Darwin symposium was hosted by Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, with the Local Scientific Committee made up of industry experts and academic representatives from throughout Australia, including Dr. Sunil Kadri from the NT’s Charles Darwin University.
A connection to NT and Australian innovation:
In just over a decade since ISFNF 2014 was last held in Australia, national aquaculture production has doubled in value to AUD 2.2 billion. The Australian aquaculture industry is now highly diverse and innovative, spanning high-value species across the country from temperate to tropical waters.
ISFNF 2026 provided an ideal opportunity for Australia to showcase its national aquaculture industry to the world. Darwin and the NT not only provided close proximity to the expanding and vibrant Australian industry but also that in Asia, which represents nearly 89% of the world’s aquaculture production.
CSIRO Research Scientist Dr Cedric Simon, who led the bid to host the event and was Chair of the ISFNF 2026 Local Scientific Committee, said that bringing the conference to Darwin provided a unique platform for the international science community to engage with local aquaculture stakeholders. He indicated that choosing Darwin as the host city also provided an opportunity to highlight Australia’s own tropical aquaculture, which includes iconic barramundi and prawn species, and newer varieties such as tropical oysters, groupers, pompano and black jewfish.
The Northern Territory Government continues to support the growth of the aquaculture sector, including ongoing investment in research, innovation and industry capability through the Darwin Aquaculture Centre (DAC), which is a premier tropical aquaculture facility. A visit to DAC was one of the symposium’s pre-event technical tour options.
The journey to ISFNF 2026:
Attracting the conference to Darwin was a joint partnership between the CSIRO, Northern Territory Business Events and the Darwin Convention Centre, with the bid developed in late 2023 and Darwin competing against Vietnam and India to win this prestigious symposium for the NT.
ISFNF 2026 organiser Dr Simon had previously attended the World Aquaculture Congress (WA2023) staged in Darwin in late May 2023, so had first-hand experience of Darwin’s capacity and capability to host a significant international business event. He indicated the WA2023 event presented a number of ideas for the ISFNF program, including the technical tour of the Darwin Aquaculture Centre.
Dr Simon was invited to join the Darwin Convention Centre’s Bid Champion Program and subsequently presented the NT bid for 2026 at the ISFNF event held in Mexico in 2024.
In addition to its aquaculture credentials, the NT also provided scope for delegates to explore the spectacular landscapes of Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk National Parks and engage with the unique art and ancient Aboriginal culture of the region.
The Symposium Program:
Under the theme “Feeding Innovation Through Partnership,” the Symposium showcased cutting-edge science, practical innovation, and global collaboration across research, industry, and policy. As aquaculture expands to meet growing food demands, ISFNF 2026 offered a vital platform to tackle sustainability, feed efficiency and nutritional resilience head-on.
Over the four-day program, delegates had the opportunity to engage with their peers from around the world - four keynote presentations were delivered, 220 Abstracts submitted and reviewed which formed the basis for 65 talks and 92 Posters, a fundamental component of the Symposium program, providing a platform for discussion and the exchange of ideas over three days of Poster Sessions.
ISFNF 2026 also featured a small exhibition where producers and researchers met directly with industry suppliers and members of the aquaculture sector media. Symposium morning teas, lunches and afternoon teas were held in the exhibition space each day to maximise networking opportunities between exhibitors and delegates.
Highlighting local expertise, Dr. Sunil Kadri, Professor of Tropical Aquaculture at Charles Darwin University (CDU) was a member of the Local Organising Committee. Dr Beth Penrose, Associate Professor of Pastoral Production Systems and Sustainability from the Research Institute for Northern Agriculture at CDU provided one of the keynotes.
The conference program commenced with optional half-day morning tours to land-based barramundi fishing operations “Hooked on Barra” and “Barramundi Adventures” in the heart of Darwin’s wetlands.
Another half-day tour visited the Darwin Aquaculture Centre, located approximately 45 minutes from the city centre, where NT aquaculture industry professionals undertake pioneering research into blacklip rock oysters, black jewfish and barramundi.
Social program showcases Darwin:
The Opening Session and Welcome function for ISFNF 2026 were staged at the Darwin Convention Centre’s outdoor Frangipani Plaza. The Welcome event was sponsored by CDU and featured wildlife handlers with the NT’s most famous residents, baby crocodiles, enabling delegates to have an up-close experience and a unique photo opportunity.
Prior to the official Opening, a moving Aboriginal cultural ceremony was delivered to delegates at the Darwin Waterfront lagoon, located just a short walk from the Convention Centre. The Saltwater Ceremony was conducted by an Elder of the Larrakia people, who are custodians of both land and sea country in the Darwin region and are known as Saltwater people. During the ceremony, ISFNF delegates were invited to enter the lagoon at ankle-depth to make a truly meaningful connection with Country, the Larrakia and their 65,000-year-old culture.
Another social program element was a two-hour cocktail cruise aboard the MV Charles Darwin, a large steel-hulled catamaran. With exclusive access to the ‘Captain’s Deck’, delegates viewed iconic Darwin landmarks and took in the sights and sounds of Darwin’s expansive harbour.
The Conference Dinner was held outdoors on the expansive waterfront lawns at the Mindil Beach Casino Resort, which is located approximately five minutes from the Darwin city centre. Entertainment included music performed by renowned Aboriginal group, the Saltwater Band, who travelled from Elcho Island in the North Eastern region of Arnhem Land in the NT. Band members are Yolngu and sing mostly in Yolngu languages, with their music a mixture of traditional songs, reggae and ska-influenced pop music.
On the final day of the Symposium, a casual post-conference farewell took place at award-winning restaurant Wharf One Food & Wine which is located at the Darwin Waterfront Precinct. Some delegates were invited to Darwin’s renowned Mindil Beach Sunset Market to stroll at their own leisure amongst more than 200 speciality stalls featuring multicultural cuisine, art, crafts and entertainment.
Darwin Convention Centre:
Organisers spoke highly of the Symposium venue, the Darwin Convention Centre (DCC), and its location at the Darwin Waterfront Precinct. Dr Cedric Simon, Chair of the Local Organising Committee/Local Scientific Committee said the destination and the Centre really contributed to the success of ISFNF 2026. He indicated it was extremely rare to have a convention centre in the heart of the city, enabling everything to be within walking distance.
Professor Luisa Valente, Chair of the ISFNF International Committee described the DCC as a ‘lovely facility’ and one of the nicest venues she had ever been to. She made specific mention of the beautiful flowers at the Centre and also its good visibility, sound and acoustics.
Legacies arising from ISFNF:
A key outcome of the Darwin Symposium was the formalisation of a specific society for the sector, to be known as the International Society of Aquaculture Nutrition (ISAN). Being established in Darwin during the Symposium has ensured a long-standing connection will exist between the Society and the NT capital, made even more relevant by Charles Darwin being the father of evolution and therefore especially meaningful to all biologists.
Organisers indicated that another legacy of ISFNF being staged in Darwin was that it placed the Northern Territory firmly on the global aquaculture stage. New connections established between the network of international experts and NT stakeholders offered potential for future collaboration.
Northern Territory Business Events provides support:
Business events such as the ISFNF are valued by the NT Government for the significant role they play in enhancing the local knowledge base and building invaluable connections.
NT Government support is on offer via the NT Business Events Support Fund, which is administered by Northern Territory Business Events as a government business unit. The level of support available is prioritised against the NT’s economic and social strengths, with aquaculture being a significant sector.
Distinctive NT elements enhance ISFNF:
Colourful conference bags featuring sea creature designs were created by HPA Disability Support Services Darwin, providing delegates with a unique memento of the Darwin Symposium. HPA has been a long-term provider of disability support services within the Darwin Region since 1963 and is committed to inspire and empower people living with a disability in supported employment, social support and accommodation.
Gifts given to Symposium speakers took the form of bespoke hand-carved traditional wooden fish created by Elah Yunupingu and his wife, Barbara Wanambi, highly-skilled, Yolŋu Indigenous artists from Arnhem Land in the NT. Speakers were delighted to take home these unique gifts which provided a memorable connection to the NT and Aboriginal culture.
The fish sculptures also graced the tables at the Conference Dinner, with another highlight of the dinner décor being an array of traditional Aboriginal woven fish traps which were rigged high above tables at the dinner. These fish traps were traditionally used by Aboriginal people to capture seafood and they represent a ‘passive harvesting’ method used for many thousands of years. The traps came from the Laundry Gallery in Darwin, an Aboriginal owned multidisciplinary creative hub which represents modern iterations of Indigenous arts and cultures.
Delegates take time to explore the NT:
Many delegates undertook independent pre and post-symposium touring of the NT visiting spectacular locations such as Litchfield National Park. They also visited EcoMob NT, an Indigenous-owned-and-run enterprise which focusses on innovation which turns food waste into nutrient-rich soil booster. The company is also investigating whether their product could be used as a feed for fish and prawns, making it of interest to ISFNF Symposium attendees.
Chair of the ISFNF International Committee, Professor Luisa Valente spoke about her own pre-symposium touring experience: “I decided to come four days earlier to adapt and also experience what the Northern Territory was about. I went to these magnificent wetlands to understand a little bit more about cultural activities, about the farming conditions, about the way people live. I think that this kind of experience makes us richer in terms of human growth, not only scientific growth.”
IN THEIR WORDS:
On behalf of the host organisation:
“When we select the host destination for ISFNF, several parameters need to be met. The location has to be attractive, it needs an international airport, we need a strong scientific committee from that country, where people are engaged in aquaculture nutrition. And we need to ensure some economical feasibility or capacity to be able to organise a symposium of this dimension. The proposal from Darwin was really very strong. Darwin is going to be remembered as a very successful symposium.”
Professor Luisa Valente
President of the International Society of Aquaculture and Nutrition
Chair of the ISFNF International Committee
From the organising team:
“This conference goes every two years around different regions so we have one in the Americas, one in Europe and then one in the Asia-Pacific. So Darwin really fitted the bill - being close to Asia, being in the north, we could showcase the tropical aquaculture work we do.”
“ It's not only a focus on the Northern Territory, it's a focus on global aquaculture nutrition, and the Northern Territory is doing some amazing things. For example, one of the largest producers, Humpty Doo Barramundi, is here in Darwin.”
“It’s particularly rare having a convention centre in the heart of the city. You can walk to major attractions, to pubs, to bars. You can jump on a harbour cruise just eight minutes from the convention centre. And the city is also very well connected to Singapore and the rest of Asia.”
Dr Cedric Simon
Group Leader and Principal Research Scientist CSIRO
Chair of the ISFNF 2026 Local Scientific Committee
From the delegates:
“The highlight for me has definitely been seeing all the really novel feed ingredients that have really amazing nutrition and health outcomes in aquaculture. At the Darwin Aquaculture Centre, it was really great to see innovation happening first-hand and really see the whole process of aquaculture itself.
I would recommend Darwin as a great location for conferences in the future.”
Dr Margaret Hegwood
Corporate Engagement Manager, Centre for Feed Innovation
London, UK