Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, who is also President of the National Fisheries Development Program, Eng. Abdulrahman Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, witnessed Sunday the launch of the 3-day Saudi International Marine Exhibition and Conference (SIMEC) in Riyadh. The conference also saw the participation of several Arab ministers concerned with fisheries, as well as representatives from 30 countries, 70 international and local companies, and international and local businessmen. In the opening speech of the conference, Al-Fadhli said that the increasing population growth and harmful practices to the marine environment and their direct impact on fish stocks are factors that necessitate the development of the aquaculture industry to achieve food security and sustainability. For his part, CEO of the National Fisheries Development Program Dr. Ali Al-Shaikhi said that the conference tackles several important points. He added that on the first day, 50 promising Saudi investment opportunities were displayed on the sidelines of the exhibition accompanying the conference, while during the coming days, four scientific sessions and 12 specialized technical workshops will be held with participation of 50 international speakers. — SPA