The conference was organised by the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. A separate Workshop on Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, also financed by the NCM and organised by Technical University of Denmark (DTU), was linked to the conference (www.NordicRAS.net). Together, these two consecutive events formed the Aquaculture Forum. The conference brought together 125 participants from thirteen different European countries. There was broad representation from the aquaculture sector in Europe: central and local administrations, research institutes, universities, industry and a range of other organisations.