7:30 am – 8:30 am
HOT BREAKFAST
(provided)

8:00 am – 8:30 am
VIRGINIA OYSTER TRAIL STATE OF THE UNION
(Sherri Smith, Virginia Oyster Trail)

8:30 am- 10:00 am
BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Bivalve Shellfish
Industry Expansion Panel
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) along with the Virginia Coastal Policy Center (VCPC) at William & Mary have been assessing opportunities and limitations to the expansion of oyster aquaculture in Virginia through an examination of policy, regulation, and monitoring data.  This session will review study findings to date associated with topics such as current and future productivity of public Baylor Ground,  shallow water use conflicts, and the state’s private leasing program and discuss possible mechanisms for moving the industry forward in the future.  This session hopes to give participants the opportunity to weigh in on the topic and be part of the process throughout the conference. 

Rapid Fire Student Research – Part 2
Graduate student research supported by Virginia Sea Grant.  The presentations will be short and targeted to what’s most relevant for shellfish growers. Moderated by Virginia Sea Grant.

• Can oyster grow out strategies help defend against harmful algal blooms? (Clara Robison)
• Distribution of harmful algae and associated algal toxins in Chesapeake Bay (Michelle Onofrio)
• When oyster larvae meet HABs (Sarah Pease)

Finfish
Emerging Species and Technologies
(Chris Tollini, UMBC-IMET)

 Lessons from the Trenches
(Chris Bentley, VIMS)

10:00 am – 10:30 am
NETWORKING AND TRADE SHOW BREAK
(refreshments provided)

10:30 am- 12:30 pm
BREAKOUT SESSIONS

 Bivalve Shellfish
News from the Genetics Front
Moderated by Stan Allen, VIMS ABC

• Further Investigations into Triploid Mortality (Joey Matt, VIMS ABC)

            Triploids are the preferred commercial product in Virginia, yet commercial triploids have been dying inexplicably in recent years in episodes coined “triploid mortality”, which has eroded the benefits of the triploid advantage.  Using insight from the first rounds of experiments with industry in 2014 and 2015, the session will focus on the ongoing next step in the investigation – estimating the genetic basis of triploid mortality.  The study involves a field comparison of triploid families and aims to address the potential for breeding for triploids that are less susceptible to triploid mortality.

• Improving Triploid Oysters (Stan Allen, VIMS ABC)
• Efforts to Improve Hard Clam Genetics for Better Performance (Richard Snyder, Jan McDowell, Emily Rivest)

              The present success of the industry is reaching a saturation point in Virginia, as available habitat is constrained by suitable water and sediment conditions, and the commercially cultured broodstock lines are restricted by lack of tolerance to lower salinities and higher temperatures. This work would establish new brood stock lines from wild populations within the natural range which are characterized for genetic diversity, physiological tolerances to temperature and salinity, and growth characteristics. The central goal is to provide and maintain well-characterized breeding stock for industry and to start a selective breeding program at VIMS.

Updates on Shellfish Health
Moderated by Ryan Carnegie, VIMS

• Regional Disease Management Matters (Ryan Carnegie, VIMS)

               A broad regional collaboration representing industry, regulation, and the scientific community continues to work to remove impediments to interstate shellfish transfers, which will produce benefits for both the aquaculture economy as well as the biosecurity of the industry. We will highlight the current state of this effort.

• Hatchery Health – Collaborative Efforts Supporting Hatchery Production (Emily Rivest, VIMS)
• Proactive Efforts to Gauge the Potential Threat of Herpes-Type Virus to C. virginica (Kimberly Reece, VIMS)

Finfish
Aquaponics Session

• Food Safety (Reza Ovissipour, VSAREC)
• Aquaponics Association Presentation
• Hands-on Aquaponics Demonstration (Chris Mullins, VSU)

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
LUNCH
(provided)
Trade Show Bingo Prize Drawing 1

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
GENERAL SESSION
Positive Aquaculture PR Panel Discussion
     

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
NETWORKING AND TRADE SHOW WRAP-UP
Trade Show Bingo Prize Drawing 2