24th to 27th August 2026,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Host: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI)
Dr. Anthony Taabu-Munyaho
Fisheries Scientist & Blue Economy Specialist (Uganda)
Key Focus & Research
Fisheries Research • Aquatic Resources • Blue Economy • Sustainable Fisheries Governance
A Ugandan fisheries scientist and Blue Economy specialist with 25+ years of experience in fisheries research, aquatic resource management, and regional policy across East Africa.
Prof. Ole Seehausen
Professor of Aquatic Ecology and Evolution at the University of Bern & Research Group Leader at Eawag (Switzerland)
Key Focus & Research
Biodiversity • Evolution • Conservation • Social-Ecological Systems in the African Great Lakes
Globally recognized for pioneering work on cichlid evolution, biodiversity, speciation, and conservation across the African Great Lakes, with 35+ years of research and 300+ scientific publications.
Prof. Hamisi Masanja Malebo
Executive Secretary (Secretary General), UNESCO National Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania & Chief Research Scientist
Keynote Topic
The Contribution of Scientific Research in the Implementation of Vision 2050 and Research Funding for Industrial Development in Tanzania
A prominent Tanzanian Research Scientist and Professor specializing in medicinal phytochemistry, natural products, environmental chemistry, health research, and WASH, with 60+ peer-reviewed publications and extensive leadership in research and innovation.
Dr. Nazael Amos Madalla
Director of Aquaculture, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, United Republic of Tanzania
Keynote Topic
From Emerging Industry to Economic Powerhouse: The Blue Transformation of Tanzania's Aquaculture through Research and Innovation Towards Vision 2050 and Beyond
Dr. Nazael Amos Madalla steers national aquaculture development and blue transformation in Tanzania, spearheading research-backed innovations, seed and feed initiatives, and strategic policies toward Vision 2050.
Dr. Peter Dijkstra
Professor of Biology at Central Michigan University (USA)
Keynote Topic
From Social Stress to Evolutionary Diversification: What African Cichlid Fishes Teach Us About Resilience, Health, and Biodiversity
Dr. Dijkstra leads a pioneering research lab dedicated to social behavior, physiology, and evolutionary biology, using African cichlid fishes as a model to investigate how social hierarchies influence brain health, stress, and speciation.
Dr. Yu-Hwan Ahn
Former Director of the Korea Ocean Satellite Center, KIOST (South Korea)
Keynote Focus
Geostationary Ocean Satellite Remote Sensing: Advanced Ocean Observation, Marine Environmental Monitoring, and the Legacy of the GOCI Satellite
A pioneer in ocean satellite remote sensing, Dr. Ahn led the development of GOCI, the world's first geostationary ocean color satellite, advancing marine environmental monitoring and ocean observation.