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The Seafood Choices Alliance International Director Melanie Siggs opens the summit by announcing the 2011 conference will be on the west coast of Canada, in Vancouver, B.C. Renowned marine scientist Daniel Pauly ruffled some feathers with his comparison between fisheries expansion and the disgraced U.S. financier Bernard Madoff. Brian Caouette, of NGO Wild Salmon Center, presented on the possibilities for Russian Far East salmon. Caouette speaks Russian and Japanese and makes numerous trips to the extremities of the region to reach out to the industry. The challenge of bringing Russia's Far East salmon fisheries to a state where major seafood companies can comfortably source from the region is considerable, said Peter Hajipieris of European frozen seafood company Birds Eye Iglo. A comparison between the environmental impacts of farmed and wild salmon formed the basis of one session. A recent study concluded wild, frozen Alaskan salmon has the lowest impact on the environment. Konstantin Zgurovsky, the head of WWF Russia's marine program, displaying the NGO's new guide aimed at educating Russian consumers on sustainable seafood. All of the summits networking events were packed with executives eating, drinking and talking seafood. Rachel Mutter, aquaculture publications editor for IntraFish Media, moderated a provocative discussion on aquaculture eco labels. A tearful Melanie Siggs closed the summit to a packed crowd.

Publisher: IntraFish