Shrimp Summit in Ho Chi Minh City will bring together seafood value chain influencers, buyers and leaders, and shrimp Industry pioneers to move the needle on current challenges in shrimp farming across Asia and worldwide.
The Shrimp Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, hosted by The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS), will bring together retailers, importers, exporters, processors, feed companies, producers, NGOs, and government representatives to move the needle on current challenges in shrimp farming. “This is an opportunity to reshape the shrimp farming sector with improved efficiency and sustainability and to begin collective plans to expand market demand,†says Dr. George Chamberlain, President of TCRS. The Shrimp Summit is co-hosted by the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA), the Vietnam Department of Fisheries, the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS), and the International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability (ICAFIS).
With the shrimp farming business at a crossroads, a summit in Vietnam is a timely event. Asia constitutes two-thirds of global shrimp production, but growth in Vietnam, China, India, Thailand, and Indonesia is leveling off or contracting. Meanwhile, Ecuador is projected to represent the majority of the world’s 7% growth in shrimp production in 2023. By sharing expertise, developing a common understanding of issues, and working toward consensus solutions, the 2023 Shrimp Summit will foster discussions where new paradigms are expected to emerge for productivity, improved livelihoods, and achievement of a higher level of sustainability, especially regarding climate change.
The Summit’s Keynote Speaker is renowned shrimp culture expert Robins McIntosh, Executive Vice President of Charoen Pokphand Group Co., Ltd. McIntosh has over 30 years of experience in shrimp aquaculture, and his projects have spanned the development of grow-out systems, shrimp feeds, and hatchery technologies. McIntosh joined the CP Group in 2001 to assist with restructuring shrimp culture in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Under his direction, hatcheries have been modernized, genetic programs have been implemented, and farm management has become more systematic and biosecure. He continues to work on increasing the efficiency of shrimp culture and finding solutions to eradicate shrimp diseases. McIntosh is also CEO of Home Grown Shrimp, a US subsidiary of the CP Group focused on producing shrimp in indoor RAS facilities in the US.
Day One of the Summit will kick off with an all-day tour of Minh Phu’s super-intensive vannamei tank farm. Attendees will get an inside look at the highly efficient operations of the largest shrimp producer in Vietnam. The tour is complimentary with registration, courtesy of Grobest Vietnam. In the evening, Summit attendees will “Taste the World of Shrimp†at the Welcome Reception. On Day Two, spouses and guests of attendees can embark on an all-day guided tour of Ho Chi Minh City, while the Summit commences with an official opening by Dr. George Chamberlain (TCRS President), Mr. Le Van Quang (CEO of Minh Phu Seafood Corporation), and Mr. Tran Dinh Luan (Director General of the Vietnam Department of Fisheries). Lifetime Achievement Awards will follow, to be presented to Robins McIntosh and posthumously to Dr. Motosaku Fujinaga, the legendary Father of Shrimp Farming. Four of the nine sessions led by expert speakers and panelists from around the world will complete the day. In-depth discussions will be centered on: Global Production & Markets, Disease Management, Shrimp Breeding, and Growout Intensification.
Day Three offers a Local Culinary Tasting Tour and Lunch for spouses and guests of attendees, and the Summit sessions will take a deep dive into Sustainable Feeds, Improver Programs, Expanding the Market, Investment, and Innovation. After the Summit Review and Closing, which will highlight actionable outcomes, attendees can reflect and wind down at the Shrimp Summit Finale: An Evening Soiree on the Mekong River. This celebratory dinner cruise on the Saigon Princess, the Welcome Reception, lunches, and coffee breaks are also complimentary with registration, thanks to our Platinum Sponsor, the US Soybean Export Council, Gold Sponsors, Thai Union, and AZ Gems, and over 20 Silver Sponsors representing other leading organizations and companies.
On July 27-28, a post-Summit tour to the Ca Mau region is not to be missed. Visit Ca Mau to see black tiger shrimp raised at low densities in harmony with mangroves and rice paddies. In addition, tours of the Viet Uc hatchery, a processing plant, and a Vietnam Foods plant that repurposes shrimp processing byproducts into other marketable products will round out the trip. The shrimp-focused tour to Ca Mau is an overnight excursion that includes all transportation (charter flight, modern speedboat, and bus), hotel, meals, and entertainment for 70 participants. To make the Shrimp Summit accessible to as many people as possible, registration is being offered for both in-person and virtual attendance. AI-powered language translation services (audio and text) will be available for 26 languages. Aquaculture or seafood associations/organizations who would like to offer free virtual attendance to their members should contact Laura Rose for further details.
Before, during, and after the Summit, the TCRS Online Community will house informative discussions and relevant resources. Beyond its Shrimp Summit subcommunity, the TCRS Community is a growing community of over 1350 peers dedicated to supporting regenerative seafood processes through knowledge sharing, thoughtful discussion groups, and unique content and podcasts only available in the community. Members can expand their networks and earn credentials by taking courses developed by aquaculture experts. There is no cost to seafood professionals to join our community. Sponsorship inquiries should be directed to Carson Roper at The Center for Responsible Seafood.
