Title: Join Us at the Aquaponics Conference 2026: Exploring Innovations in Sustainable Food Production

Earth Precision Agriculture

August 10-14, Calgary, Canada

Aquaponics Conference Track

Driving the future of aquaponic food production by uniting biological sciences, smart technologies, system design, and economic and policy perspectives to create resilient and efficient integrated systems

About the Aquaponics Conference Track

The Aquaponics Conference at EPA 2026 provides a rigorous and welcoming platform for researchers, engineers, and practitioners to share cutting-edge contributions across the full spectrum of aquaponics research and innovation. Held in Calgary, Canada, this specialized track explores how the integration of recirculating aquaculture and hydroponics offers sustainable solutions to global challenges of water scarcity and food security. We convene experts working in aquaculture, horticulture, microbiology, systems engineering, data science, economics, and social sciences to generate actionable insights into the performance, optimization, and scalability of aquaponic systems.

We invite submissions that explore a wide range of aquaponics research, including but not limited to:

System Design, Engineering, and Technology

System Intensification and Optimization: Novel approaches in system design (e.g., decoupled, vertical, deep water culture, media-based), process control, and automation to improve yields, resource efficiency, and operational stability.
Automation, Sensing, and AI: Development and application of advanced sensors, IoT platforms, and artificial intelligence for real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and decision support in aquaponic management.
Energy Systems and Climate Resilience: Research on energy-saving strategies, renewable energy integration (solar, biogas), and system adaptations to enhance resilience to climate change and extreme weather events.
Integration with Other Systems: Studies on the integration of aquaponics with other agricultural systems such as agroforestry, permaculture, or broader controlled environment agriculture (CEA) frameworks.
New System Typologies: Research on innovative integrated systems such as BioRAS, FLOCponics, and other hybrid models that enhance nutrient cycling and system resilience.

Integrated Biological Systems and Nutrient Dynamics

Microbiology and Nutrient Cycling: In-depth analysis of the microbial communities driving nitrification and mineralization, and their role in nutrient availability, system health, and overall productivity.
Water Quality Management and Modeling: Studies on real-time water quality management, the impact of water chemistry on system performance, and the development of predictive models for water parameters.
Species Selection and Diversification: Research on alternative and high-value fish and plant species, selective breeding for aquaponic conditions, and the viability of brackish or ornamental aquaponic systems.
Fish and Plant Health: Studies on integrated pest and disease management, fish and plant physiology under aquaponic conditions, and the development of resilient cultivars and species.
Waste Valorization and Feed Development: Research on the processing and reuse of system byproducts (sludge), and the development of sustainable aquafeeds that optimize both fish growth and nutrient release for plants.

Sustainability, Circular Economy, and Market Development

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Economic Modeling: Comprehensive analysis of the environmental footprint, energy balance, and economic viability of commercial-scale aquaponic operations, including cost-benefit analyses and profitability models.
Food Safety and Quality: Research on food safety protocols, HACCP implementation, and the nutritional quality of aquaponically grown produce and fish.
Market Analysis and Consumer Perception: Studies on market channels, supply chain development, consumer acceptance, and willingness to pay for aquaponic products.
Scaling and Technology Transfer: Analysis of the challenges of scaling from pilot to commercial operations, and strategies for effective technology transfer from research to industry practice.

Microalgae and Algaponics Integration

Production of Microalgal Biomass Using Fish Wastewater: Research on optimizing the cultivation of microalgae utilizing nutrient-rich aquaculture effluent, focusing on species selection, growth kinetics, and biomass yield for value-added products such as pigments, lipids, and proteins.
Closing the Loop of Water Circulation Through Microalgal Bioreactors in RAS: Studies on the design, implementation, and performance of microalgal bioreactors integrated within Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) to enhance water quality, remove excess nutrients, and improve overall system circularity and sustainability.
Membrane-Associated Technologies in Algaponics: Exploration of advanced membrane filtration and separation technologies integrated with algaponic systems to improve microalgae harvesting efficiency, water purification, and system scalability at both pilot and commercial scales.
Nutritional Profiling and Feed Applications of Algaponic Biomass: Analysis of the biochemical composition of microalgae cultivated in algaponic systems and their efficacy as sustainable, high-quality feed ingredients for aquaculture species, including assessment of digestibility and growth performance.
Economic and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Algaponic Systems: Comprehensive evaluations of the economic viability, energy balance, and environmental footprint of integrating microalgae production with aquaculture and hydroponics, benchmarked against conventional production systems.

Community, Education, and Social Impact

Aquaponics in STEM Education: Application of aquaponics as a hands-on teaching tool in K-12 and higher education, including curriculum development and student engagement outcomes.
Urban Agriculture and Food Security: Case studies and research on the role of aquaponics in enhancing urban food security, community-based food systems, and social enterprise models.
International and Developing Country Contexts: Research on low-cost systems, appropriate technology for resource-limited settings, and the role of aquaponics in international development and food sovereignty.
Workforce Development and Training: Studies on vocational training, professional certification, and workforce development programs to support the growth of the aquaponics industry.
Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: Analysis of policy and regulatory challenges and opportunities for the aquaponics sector, including zoning, food safety standards, and agricultural incentives.

Special Issue dedicated to the submission from this track

Selected submissions from the conference will be considered for inclusion in a special issue of Aquacultural Engineering dedicated to showcasing outstanding presentations from the event. This opportunity highlights high-quality research contributions and offers authors a pathway to share their work with the broader Aquaculture and Aquaponics community.

Authors invited to submit to the special issue have the option to either:

publish only an abstract or an extended abstract in the EPA proceedings and submit the full paper to the special issue, or
augment their work by including at least 40% new content, including methodology, results, findings, and discussion points, if they choose to have their short or full papers be included in the EPA proceedings as well.