The convention would be hosted at the Tauranga Yacht Club and interested members of the public are welcome but must register and pay fees, as shown on the bbuetogreen.co.nz website.
Two field trips were part of the programme - the first titled Oysters & Honey, to Ohiwa Harbour in the Eastern Bay and calling at Comvita's honey processing plant at Paengaroa; the second, Seaweed & Robotics, includes a visit to Newnham Innovation Park in Bethlehem.
Professor Chris Battershill, chair of Coastal Science at the University of Waikato, director of the Coastal Marine Field Station and convention chairman, said Blue2Green was designed to splice research interests and explore new opportunities with a central theme of environmental sustainability linked to the development of new, high-value marine industries.
"This convention will demonstrate how we can harness existing international excellence across marine biotechnological sciences to fast-track sustainable wealth creation through novel application of marine biotechnologies, additionally examining how these very technologies can be used to aid repair or to strengthen environments under threat," he said.
With the Global Marine Biotechnology market predicted to reach $US5.9 billion ($8.106b at current exchange rates) by 2022, Dr Battershill says the convention is seen as an opportunity to strengthen research and development ties among the represented Pacific Rim countries and Australasia.
The theme of the convention is Toitu te Moana, Toitu te Tangata - Sustainability of the Sea, Sustainability of the People.
It was convened by scientists from the University of Waikato, Priority One, Flinders University, James Cook University, Cawthron Institute, Toi Ohomai, the International Marine Biotechnology Association and the Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research.
For more information and to register visit the website www.blue2green.co.nz
