The country’s largest cold-water aquaculture conference is underway in St. John’s with the keynote address set to be delivered this morning.

The theme of this year’s event is “Sustainable by Nature, Innovative by Design.”

Scott Ross, who’s described by the industry as leader in agriculture policy and innovation, will explore the connections between surf and turf food production.

Among the guest speakers are a variety of industry players, and researchers including Angelisa Osmond of Dalhousie Univeristy who will provide an evaluation of hemp by-products in the diets of rainbow trout, and a person who will discuss the role of wolffish in the sea.