Approximately 100 people, from 17 different countries, attended over the three days, including members of the European scientific community (fish and shellfish reproduction and genetic research), European fish and shellfish breeders and hatchery managers, genotyping and fish genetics companies, professsional aquaculture breeding and selection organisations, European Technology Platforms (FABRE-TP and EA-TP) and European Commission representatives. Discussions covered a wide range of fish species.

The aim of this meeting was to present the major objectives and outcomes of these two fish reproduction and breeding projects to the industry, thus providing them with the opportunity to voice their currrent concerns and problems to the scientific community. The idea was to succeed in pinpointing needs in terms of future fish reproduction and breeding research. Open discussion was engaged with fish breeders and hatchery managers to identify research priorities for the industry for important fish species farmed in European waters (salmon, rainbow trout, common carp, sea bass, sea bream, turbot, sole, cod, halibut, tuna).

Members of the Reprofish and Aquabreeding projects, as well as the DG Mare department of the European Union presented diverse topics, including: improving reproduction using light and temperature control; sterilising fish to protect biodiversity and improve quality; experience of individual-based trout and marine fish breedig programmes in France; knowledge gaps and propositions for aquaculture breeding research; and an overview of EU supported actions for breeding in aquaculture. The Aquabreeding project also presented the results of their breeding survey (14 selected species, 30 breeding organisations and 34 selective breeding programmes in Europe) and examples of current European breeding programmes, whilst their consortium proposed a vision for the development of aquaculture breeding in Europe, including future research needs. Finally, two propositions were made: firstly that aquaculture breeding companies adhere to EFFAB, joining other European livestock breeders (cattle, pigs, poultry...), thereby creating synergies on animal breeding within the FABRE-TP; secondly that all aquaculture hatcheries manifest their interest to be a part of the Aquabreeding network of researchers and companies, and subsequently participate in the activities of this network within the EA-TP.