Call for Papers - 1st International Conference on the Cultural Significance of Fish

Units covered

Registration will open in early March

Call for Papers

The Institute has a long history of hosting specialist conferences and in recent years there has been a growing number of presentations that have highlighted the cultural importance of fish and the aquatic environment across many aspects of fisheries management

The conference will build on this theme and seek to explore the myriad ways in which fish have influenced, shaped and been depicted in cultures throughout history and around the world.

The conference will bring together speakers and delegates from across Europe and further afield for two days of presentations, posters and panel sessions. The conference will also provide opportunities for networking which includes a guided tour of the historic Ely Cathedral.

Papers have already been accepted from New Zealand, Italy, Holland, Ireland, Belgium and the UK

The conference is an in-person event and there will be no online talks or virtual access.

The organising committee would welcome submissions under the following subject areas:

• Fish in art and music
• Language and literature
• Customs, culture and traditions
• Heritage
• Economic systems
• Ecological and ethical perspectives
• Religious importance
• Technologies
• Social and community value
• Fish in popular culture

All abstracts should include the following information:

• Title of the paper,
• Authors’ full names with presenter’s name highlighted,
• Affiliation and country of origin for each author and co-author,
• Email address of the presenting author,
• 100 – 200 word abstract on the paper’s content,
• Preference for an oral or poster presentation.

The Steering Group will review all submissions and will aim to ensure a good balance of topics and geographic areas. If requests for oral presentations are oversubscribed a poster presentation may be offered instead.

All submissions and enquiries should be sent directly to the conference administrator at [email protected]

No presenting author should submit more than one oral presentation request but may submit multiple poster presentation requests.

Presenters will be required to register for the conference

Closing date for submissions – 14^th February 2025

Who Should Attend

We encourage participation from academics, students, cultural practitioners, artists, conservationists, policymakers, and anyone with a keen interest in the space where fish and culture intersect

Delegates and organisations interested in booking exhibition space or sponsoring the conference are invited to email the conference administrator for full details.

CPD points are available for attendance at this event

The IFM

The Institute of Fisheries Management is an international organisation of people whose aim is to support and promote sustainable fisheries management for the benefit of our members, fisheries, wildlife and society.

We have a long history of hosting conferences and technical workshops and have held an annual event for the past 55 years.