ICES WGFAST 2026

18-24 Apr-2026 | Wageningen University Campus

About the event

ICES Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Technology (WGFAST) focuses on the development and application of science and technology used to observe the marine environment.

WGFAST holds state-of-the-art expertise in advanced acoustic-trawl survey techniques and employs these techniques on a wide range of platforms including research vessels, ships of opportunity, and observatories.

The group has been a key in developing acoustic trawl surveys, and throughout its lifetime the focus has shifted from solving the technical challenges of reliable acoustic measurements to the use of acoustics to observe key biological parameters such as biomass indices, behavioural metrics, and acoustic species classification.

It has recently expanded its core activities to include the use of acoustics to study marine ecosystems on a wide range of observation platforms.

At approximately 5-7 year intervals, WGFAST organizes a symposium to facilitate information exchange among fisheries acousticians, physicists, engineers, biologists, and ecologists. The published proceedings from these conferences reflect the historical development from acoustic-trawl surveys to addressing broader interests in applied aquatic observation systems.

News

--- 21/04/2026

Updated scheudle:

Talk Shannon Dolan 3.6 Initial in situ acoustic-optical measurements of deep-sea nekton was missing on the schedule
Talk 1.13 Ben Scoulding, was rescheduled from Monday to Thursday
Title updated for Junita Karlsen 3.10 Sounding out a path – can seabed contact be replaced with acoustic guidance in bottom trawling?

---15/04/2026

Icebreaker location changed: Ground floor, Forum - Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 2, 6708 PB Wageningen

WORKSHOPS
The room for the workshops will only be available from 10 am onwards, therefore we expect the workshops to start at 10:15 rather than 10:00, please remain patient :)
Pre-ordered Tshirts have arrived!

----14/04/2026

Workshop on Saturday and Sunday are in room B0425, Forum - Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 2, 6708 PB Wageningen

----12/04/2026 ----

28 WGFAST T-shirts are ordered...

----13/04/2026 ----

Updated Schedule - Please download the updated schedule and book of abstracts:

Ben Scouding (1.13) Monitoring Fish Distribution Following a Harmful Algal Bloom in Gulf St Vincent, South Australia moved from Monday 16:15 to Wednesday 10:30 replacing the withdrawn talk from Ryan Downie - Sonophore enables autonomous observation of micronekton communities in the ocean twilight zone.
James Thorson 1.31 (Remote) Progress on high-resolution spatio-temporal models - added Tuesday 16:15-16:30
Aleksander Zytko (2.3) Influence of Swimbladder Geometry on Acoustic Backscattering of Gilt-Head Bream (Sparus aurata): A FEM–BEM Study - added (all talks on Wednesday after 2.2 are shifted by 15 minutes and one index number)

Location

Workshops: Room B0425,

Forum - Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 2, 6708 PB Wageningen

Main Event Aurora, Wageningen University

Vijfde Polder 1, 6708 WC Wageningen

Icebreaker and Poster Session Groundfloor,

Forum - Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 2, 6708 PB Wageningen

Dinner: Colors of the World

Markt 15, 6701 CX Wageningen

WGFAST Merchandise

We are offering an exclusive limited run of event T-shirts designed by Claudine Arendt.

If you would like to order one (or more), please note the following:

The suggested price is €25 per T-shirt (if we get at least 25 preorders), but you are welcome to contribute whatever amount you feel is appropriate, all profits will support the artist
Please fill out the preorder form, indicating your desired size(s) and quantity.
You are welcome to order multiple T-shirts (do multiple orders).
T-shirts will be available for pickup during the meeting only. If you want a shirt, but can’t join in person, ask a friend to bring one. If you can’t find a solution, contact me.
Preorders close on Friday, April 11, we will not be able to accommodate orders after this date.
Payment will be requested once you arrive at the meeting…we will have QR codes ready for EU and non EU payments.

ICES WGFAST 2026​​​