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.​

Location

Workshops: Forum, Wageningen University

Droevendaalsesteeg 2, 6708 PB Wageningen

Main Event Aurora, Wageningen University

Vijfde Polder 1, 6708 WC Wageningen

Icebreaker and Poster Session Orion (The Spot), Wageningen University

Building 103, Bronland 1, 6708 WH Wageningen

Dinner: Colors of the World

Markt 15, 6701 CX Wageningen