[SEMCO] (Fwd: Water Farming conference)

[Sheri DeRosa]

Water Farming ? World's Future

February 12 - 14, 2002 Baltimore, Maryland

The Water Farming-World's Future CONFERENCE, the first public event of
the Water Farming Initiative (WFI) will be held February 12-14, 2002 at
the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.  Link to our
website <www.oldwayspt.org> to view the full program and to register
online.

The purpose and general outline of the Conference and the Water Farming
Initiative (WFI) are: ESTABLISH COMMON GROUND FOR AN EXPANSION OF
SUSTAINABLE WATER FARMING AS THE BASIS FOR INCREASED CONSUMER DEMAND FOR
WATER FARMED PRODUCTS.

The Conference will reach opinion leaders (journalists, chefs,
environmentalists, industry, government and others) concerning:
€  Science-based reporting of facts about aquaculture
€  Health benefits of seafood
€  The need for regulations that encourage, rather than discourage,
investment in aquaculture
€  Solutions, not confrontation

At the conference, a brand new, fact based booklet developed by Oldways
-- called HEADS OR TAILS? -- will be introduced. This innovative HEADS
OR TAILS? booklet is a fresh look at the "front burner" water farming
issues regularly debated in newspapers, magazines, web sites, scholarly
journals, government hearings, industry meetings, environmental
guides, trade press, chef guides, and courtrooms.  What makes HEADS OR
TAILS? unique is its balanced distillation of the conflicts clouding
water farming?s role over the next 50 years in feeding the world?s
growing population.  Direct quotations of the conflicting claims made by
advocates and critics of water farming are listed in a user-friendly,
side-by-side format, grouped by subject for ease of reference.
Reconciling these conflicts is a key purpose of the Water Farming
Initiative.

Attending the Conference will be:
€  Media
€  Industry representatives
€  NGOs
€  Scientists
€  Chefs
€  Aquaculture companies
€  Government

FOR A COMPLETE PROGRAM SCHEDULE OR TO REGISTER CONTACT OLDWAYS at
617.421.5500, or (www.oldwayspt.org):
Sara Baer-Sinnott, Executive Vice President (sara@oldwayspt.org)
Annie Bonney, Director of Programs and Membership (annie@oldwayspt.org)

FOR PRESS INFORMATION:
Deborah Good, Communications Director (deborah@oldwayspt.org)
Aimee Murdock Burke, Public Relations and Promotions Manager
(aimee@oldwayspt.org)

"The idea of presenting reality in a scientific context is important, "
said Cliff Goudey, Director of the Center for Fisheries Engineering
Research at MIT Sea Grant.  "Most of the information about aquaculture
in the media seems to come from vocal opponents, and industry?s
responses to these challenges often doesn?t get taken seriously. The
Oldways approach has great potential as they don?t have a clear stake on
either side, and they have a track record in making progress in
controversial areas.

"It?s time to focus on solutions," said Dun Gifford, President of
Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, a Boston-based, nonprofit
educational organization. "It is more and more clear that Œclean water
farming? is a sound environmental partner for soil farming.  With this
conference we hope to bridge differences by encouraging calm negotiation
and discouraging divisive argument."

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