Conference Registration and Information Desk Open from 7:30 - 17:00: Pick up your name badge and registration materials. PowerPoint Manager's Desk Open at select times only: 7:30 - 8:20, 12:30-13:30, 16:00-17:00 - Submissions for presentations taking place tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 25, are due by 17:00 today, Monday, Aug. 24.
This room is designated as a quiet interfaith prayer room, Indigenous friendship hub, space for nursing mothers, and any other individual needs.
The official opening of ICAIS 2026 will feature welcoming remarks from the Invasive Species Centre and Queen's University Belfast.
Casting a glance in the rear-view mirror - how the ICAIS Series captures the ongoing development of aquatic invasive species research and management
The significant socioeconomic, cultural, and recreational importance of salmonids within their native ranges has led to their successful introduction to many ecosystems around the globe. Introductions and range-expansions of various species to Europe, South America, Arctic Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and the Laurentian Great Lakes, among other locations, have occurred through a variety of pathways and have yielded a range of ecosystem impacts, fisheries outcomes, and management challenges. For newly introduced anadromous species or those that engage in long-distance migration, it can be logistically challenging to observe their population dynamics and interactions with invaded biological communities. In such instances, comparison of observations among invaded ecosystems or within the native range can help to fill in knowledge gaps and inform research strategies. Conversely, documenting how salmonid species respond to novel environmental or ecological conditions in invaded or expanded ranges can yield important insights for management in their native habitats as climate change and other stressors reshape ecosystems. Therefore, cross-system comparisons and knowledge sharing are invaluable for managing populations and mitigating the impact of introduced and range-expanding salmonid species everywhere they occur. In this full day session, we seek to gather researchers and stakeholders that study or interact with salmonids to share knowledge and compare management strategies, from both populations within their native range and in invaded or expanding ranges, to collectively generate new insights for understanding their ecology and potential ecosystem effects. In doing so, we hope to facilitate discussion of ideas, identify common research themes, and forge new collaborations to address knowledge gaps and support management activities across all ecosystems impacted by non-native salmonids.
Invasive species are multifaceted phenomena: they reshape ecosystems, affect biodiversity, alter livelihoods, and trigger substantial management costs. Yet they can give rise to economic and social dynamics, for example through commercial and recreational fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, or cultural practices, that some actors may appropriate as sources of value. This complexity presents dilemmas for managers and policymakers, who must navigate ecological risks alongside new socioeconomic realities that emerge across different contexts and scales. This special session will explore invasive species through the lens of ambivalence, highlighting both the risks and contexts of use. Contributions will span diverse ecosystems and perspectives, addressing ecological impacts, socioeconomic implications, and governance responses. Examples will include, among others, fisheries that have emerged around invasive species, the integration of non-native species into aquaculture, and cases where invasive species influence conservation or restoration agendas. Insights from the forthcoming edited CABI volume Aquaculture and Invasions (Kourantidou & Oficialdegui, eds.) will be discussed alongside other case studies to highlight converging lessons across systems. The format will combine short research presentations with an interactive panel discussion, encouraging dialogue among ecologists, economists, managers, and policymakers. The session aims to distill cross-cutting insights into when and how management strategies can effectively address both the risks and contested uses of invasive species, offering participants practical lessons for research, policy, and practice.
Posters will be on display in both Whitla Hall and South Dining Hall.