Ocean to Plate, a one-day forum to discuss innovation in the lobster industry, will take place Tuesday in Truro.

The forum will bring together lobster industry players from all parts of the value chain as well as academics from Atlantic Canada’s universities and colleges, said a statement from organizers Springboard Atlantic and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The goal is to drive new research and development collaborations to support one of Atlantic Canada’s key industries at a time of significant change.

Lobster is one of Atlantic Canada’s most important exports and is primarily shipped as a live product. The Nova Scotia industry alone landed over 51,000 million tons of lobster worth $570 million in 2014.

Lobster landings have been experiencing an upward trend and remain at one of the highest levels recorded this century. In Nova Scotia alone, landings have more than doubled over the past 20 years.

“The lobster industry is integral to Atlantic Canada’s economy and finding innovative ways to help it thrive is really why Springboard Atlantic and ACOA are collaborating on this project,” said Springboard President and CEO Daryl Genge in the statement. “We have our 19 universities and colleges throughout the region that are conducting research and providing technical solutions ranging from lobster biology and genetics, bait, data analytics, value-added products to automation.”

Atlantic Canadian lobster is recognized worldwide for its quality and outstanding taste, said the statement. But climate change, rapidly evolving technologies, and globalization, are presenting the Atlantic Canadian lobster industry with new challenges.

Springboard and ACOA have already held four events on lobster innovation with harvesters, processors, shippers and buyers in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI. These events led up to the pan-Atlantic meeting to be held in Truro.

The Truro event will feature keynotes from industry leaders who will share best practices for building partnerships. These speakers will be followed by working sessions where industry and academia can engage to explore collaborative solutions to industry challenges.

You can register here.