PROPOSAL TO HOST THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL SEA LICE CONFERENCE PATAGONIA, 2018
PATAGONIA IS WATING FOR YOU Chosen as one of the twenty five beautiful places you must visit before you die (The Telegraph)
PUNTA ARENAS, THE ANTARTIC GATE With port and sheep-breeding history, the gateway into Antartica will captivate you with its clean air and sophisticated European architecture.. A sprawling metropolis on the edge of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas defies easy definition. It's a strange combination of the ruddy and the grand, witnessed in the elaborate wool-boom mansions and port renovations contrasted with windblown streams of litter and urban sprawl. Set at the bottom of the Americas, it is downright stingy with good weather the sun shines through sidelong rain. Magellanic hospitality still pervades local culture, undeterred (or perhaps nurtured by) nature's inhospitality. The city is remarkably relaxed and friendly. Recent prosperity, fed by a petrochemical industry boom and growing population, has sanded down the city's former roughneck reputation. It would be nice if it were all about restoration, but duty-free shopping and megamalls on the city outskirts are the order of the future It is easy to reach, just an 3,5 hour by plane from Santiago in a direct flight. Easy connections to Tierra del Fuego, Torres del Paine and Argentina and good travelers' services make Punta Arenas a convenient base. A growing volume of cruise-ship passengers and trekkers has effectively replaced yesteryear's explorers, sealers and sailors.
Chile Patagonia Punta arenas Chilean salmon farming Tourists and vacationers do not need to leave the city to find all the services they require. The town center provides taxis, currency exchange, telephone and internet facilities, car rental, mail and other tourist services. As Punta Arenas is well prepared to receive visitors, boasts beautiful scenery and is easy to reach, it is not surprising that it has become a popular conference center, hosting congresses, seminars, presentations and events throughout the year. In fact it pleases and surprises all who visits.
Some preliminary aspects about The Conference Organizing committee: A multidisciplinary team led by INTESAL (The Salmon Technology Institute). Researchers from INCAR (Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research), Universidad Católica de Chile and The Institute of Aquaculture of Universidad Austral de Chile, have already accepted the challenge to be part of this team. More institutions related to sea lice research will also be invited in the forthcoming months. Science committee: Led by INTESAL, will gather 10 of the most experienced researchers in sea lice related disciplines around the Globe (i.e. epidemiology, biology, omics, chemistry, engineering, etc.). The list will have a balanced representative structure of countries and institutions. A glimpse on the sessions: The Conference will last for three days and have five sessions with oral presentations and posters. Each session will last for half a day and contain up to three topics. Proposed sessions are: I. Sea Lice and Wildlife Interactions : Ecology, Epidemiology, Modelling, Sea Lice and wildlife interactions. II. Sea Lice Biology : Genetics, Biology and Omics. III. Sea Lice-host interactions : Inmune response, Immunomodulation and Omics. IV. Sea Lice Control: Biological and Physical Sea Lice Control, Chemotherapeutant, Resistance and Mode of Action. V. Sea Lice Management : Integrated Pest Management, Modelling and Regulatory Sea Lice Management. Each session will be moderated by two people whose objective will be to keep presentations on time and to promote discussion among assistants. Moderators will be asked to make concluding remarks regarding the main knowledge gaps addressed at each session. General conclusions can be made at the end of each session and provide a final summary on the current status of sea lice research at the end of the conference.
Social Program Include: Reception Cocktail Evening Activities Breakfast, Coffee and Lunch Closing Dinner and Party Tourism activities suggested (pre or post-conference) MAGDALENA ISLAND (PENGUIN AND SEA ELEPHANT TOUR) TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK TIERRA DEL FUEGO BULNES FORT PUERTO NATALES Most probable location: Hotel Dreams in Punta Arenas Expected date: November 2018 (Spring in Southern Hemisphere). Duration: Three days