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• Later this year the 4th OATA conference will be held in the opulent setting of the Palace Hotel, Buxton in Derbyshire. The dates for your diary are Monday and Tuesday 27 and 28th October.

As at previous conferences an international panel of speakers is being lined up. Though the program is not yet complete it will aim to fascinate, inform and inspire those who attend.

Speakers who have already agreed to present include:

Dos Winkels, an underwater photographer with an international reputation, who will show slides of some of the most spectacular underwater ecosystems such as Coral Reefs, Mangrove Forests, Rain Forests, High Altitude Lakes, Cold Waters and at the same time talk about the dangers that threatens these eco systems.

Professor Ning Labbish Chao who will update the conference on the work his research group at the university of Amazonas are undertaking as part of Project Piabo. This covers the biology and socio-economics of collecting ornamental fish in the central Amazonian rainforests. He will also talk about plans to introduce a certification scheme for ornamental fish coming from that area of the world. In a seperate presentation he will show pictures of a wide range of fish species he see's in his work but which are not widely known.

John Rolls the RSPCA's Director of Animal Welfare Promotion will discuss general issues of their policy, prosecutions and governance.

Dr Jeremy Biggs, Director of Freshwater Policy and Research at the Pond Conservation Trust will talk about their work and the fall in natural pond numbers, the rise in garden ponds the biodiversity value of garden ponds currently and how this value can be enhanced.

Simon Hack of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate will discuss how the Small Animal Exemption Scheme has progressed and what will be its future.

Dr. Gordon Copp Principal Scientist at CEFAS in Lowestoft who advises DEFRA on the issues surrounding invasive fish species. The species that are available for sale by the industry may be decided by the work he does. How will species such as sturgeon fare under his scrutiny?

Graham Thurlow was the vet part the DEFRA team that steered the Animal Welfare Act through Westminster. Now retired, he will give us his views on the legislation and where it will take animal welfare in the future.

Claire Dathan Derbyshire County Council Are you importing safely? There are many inexpensive sources of dry goods around the world. Are they an ideal to improve margins-or are there downsides for those who import in the shape of legal liability for everything from the paint used to electrical equipment standards. Get it wrong and the importer (whether that is a wholesaler or a retailer) could find the cost of cheap importers is massive. Our speaker will help outline the risks and liabilities that lie in wait for the unwary or inexperienced importer and where help might be found.

Animal By Products and fish feeds Unknown to the majority of the trade importing fish food has been a cause of much grief for a number of years. Importers have had full and frank discussions with officials on the quayside and in London. What’s the current policy and how can trouble be avoided our speaker from DEFRA will help plot a path through the maze.

The new ornamental fish import regulations will impact the industry in many ways. Find out what the changes are, why they were made and how the will affect your business whether you are an importer, farmer, wholesaler or retailer.

Steve Windsor Living in the real virtual world The changing face of the fishkeeping media and what it may mean for you. As well as the UK's leading fishkeeping magazine Practical Fishkeeping has the most successful fishkeeping website in the UK too, and one of the few with a lucrative advertising play. Managing Director Steve Windsor looks at the future of digital media and the fishkeeping hobby.

Henk Eggink – CITES and the EU - How is the trade in endangered species, especially those listed on the CITES appendices (hard corals, seahorses) managed by in the EU? What are the conservation benefits to those species of the approach adopted by the EU? Are among the questions we hope will be answered from the view point of the European Commission.

Mark Dickens – Wanda – Attracting “could be” customers. Small independents and large chains alike share common challenges in terms of influencing customers to shop and spend. Many of the retail 'tricks of the trade' are not known to independents because they don't have the budgets to invest in the consumer research and behavioural insight, therefore the Tesco's of this world get bigger and the small businesses get smaller. Small independents usually can't afford the expense of retail consultants. Fish are a niche market and it's difficult to get a bigger share of voice and get noticed by all those 'could be' customers. So the niche market stays niche.

Andrew Mitchell - Global Canopy Campaign - The plight of the rainforest has received massive headlines for years. Hear how one group is trying to engage a variety of industries to help conserve it. At least one benefit will be the vast amount of carbon stored in intact forests-for instance in the state of Amazonia, from where most Brazilian ornamentals originate, as much carbon is stored as the UK, at current rates, produces in a century.

But it won’t all be serious

Though even more speakers are being lined up and will be announced shortly the conference will not all be work. There will ample opportunity to talk to colleagues and speakers during tea dinner breaks. Every one of these will be an opportunity to meet colleagues and friends make new contacts or pick brains and gather more information. If previous conferences are anything to go by you could meet every size of importers, wholesalers and retailers in a relaxed atmosphere where there is time to talk.

Further details are available from the OATA office conference@ornamentalfish.org

Many other speakers have expressed an interest in the conference and more details of these will be published in the coming months.

*Organisers reserve the right to change the programme or speakers without prior notice.

Download the Conference 2008 Booking Form here. (Opens in a new window)