Official Opening of Asian Regional Artemia Reference Center & Workshop on the Use of Artemia in Research and Aquaculture in China was held in Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST) on April 16-17th, 2018. More than 100 participants witnessed the memorable moment and attended the workshop, including the officials from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the experts from well-known aquaculture research institutes, universities and enterprises in China, Belgium, Sweden and Kazakhstan, etc.

On the morning of April 16th, the official opening of Asian Regional Artemia Reference Center (AR-ARC) was grandly held by TUST and FAO. Prof. Jinyu Han, the rector of TUST, delivered welcome address. He expressed his appreciation to FAO and the related departments for their strongly support to TUST and AR-ARC and hoped the officials and experts would further support and concern the development of TUST and AR-ARC.

Prof. Jinyu Han, the rector of TUST was interviewing Dr Matthias Halwart, the acting head of Aquaculture Branch, FAO.

Dr Matthias Halwart, the acting head of Aquaculture Branch, FAO, Mr. Shumin Li, the deputy director of Bureau of Fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, and Prof. Qingyin Wang, the director-general of China Society of Fisheries delivered speeches and congratulated to the official opening of AR-ARC.

Dr Matthias Halwart and Prof. Liying Sui were unveiling the plate of AR-ARC

Prof. Fuping Lu, the deputy rector of TUST chaired the opening event. The donation ceremony of the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance to AR-ARC was held after the above speeches. Mr. Zhongwei Liu, the project coordinator of the China-FAO South-South Cooperation Program, gave a presentation on “the United Nations Strategy for South-South cooperation and China-FAO South-South cooperation project”. Professor Liying Sui, the director of AR-ARC, introduced the development and future planning of AR-ARC. After the establishment ceremony, the experts visited the laboratories and facilities at AR-ARC.

Prof. Liying Sui was introducing the recirculating aquaculture systems

The experts were visiting the Artemia hatching facilities at AR-ARC

Prof. Zhang Bo was explaining the AR-ARC Artemia Genebank and database

The Workshop on Use of Artemia in Research and Aquaculture was held after the opening ceremony. The workshop focused on the current and hot points of the Artemia biological research, the application in aquaculture and industrial development of Artemia. Patrick Sorgeloos, the emeritus professor of Ghent University, Belgium, Prof. Jianhai Xiang, the recipient of the Crustacean Society Award for Excellence in Research in 2017, and other experts from China and aboard gave presentations in aspects of the sustainable exploitation and utilization of Artemia resources, the Artemia biodiversity, the important role of Artemia as a model organism in scientific research, the development of Artemia industry, crustacean genomics and genetic breeding and so on.

Patrick Sorgeloos, the emeritus professor of Ghent University in Belgium gave the preseantation

The First AR-ARC Academic and Advisory Committee Meeting was held on the afternoon of 17th. Prof Jianhai Xiang, Prof. Patrick Sorgeloos and other seven domestic and foreigner experts, officials and industrial representatives were recommended as the chairmen, vice-chairman and members of the committee. Prof. Fuping Lu awarded the appointment letter. Prof. Liying Sui reported the establishment, achievement and the working plan of AR-ARC. Members reviewed the working report and made recommendations on the future development of AR-ARC.

AR-ARC Academic and Advisory Committee Meeting

This conference has greatly promoted the basic and applied research on Artemia in China as well as in the world, improved the exploration and utilization of Artemia resources and the development of Artemia industry, and significantly enhanced the international reputation of TUST in the field of Artemia research. It was also a special gift to the 60th anniversary of TUST.