Authors are strongly encouraged to consider poster presentations regardless of whether they are selected for an oral presentation. Poster sessions will be an integral and important part of the program. Individuals selected for an oral presentation should also prepare their materials for the poster session portion of the symposium. Authors are allowed to participate in more than one poster session. Individuals participating in poster sessions are also expected to submit full papers by September 30, 2007.

Poster presenters are responsible for the set-up and take-down of their posters. Details for setup and takedown of the posters will be provided at a later date. Posters can be arranged to remain throughout the entire NOSB meeting for public review after the symposium, if desired, but not required. If you know that you are personally unavailable on November 27th, the date of the symposium, but have significant information that you would like to share, please consider submitting an abstract for poster session presentation. You will need to coordinate with someone who is attending the symposium to assist with the set-up and take-down of your poster presentation.

Oral presenters and poster session presenters are expected to prepare a full paper that clearly articulates: 1) the specific question(s) that the author is providing data and scientific information about, 2) their position regarding the question(s) they are addressing, 3) in what specific ways the current proposed aquaculture standards are, or are not, adequate, in addressing the questions, and 4) if they are not adequate, what specific practices and language would they recommend to strengthen the proposed aquaculture standards to address the specific questions. Full papers are due September 30, 2007.

All abstracts, full papers, slide shows, and posters should be submitted in a format appropriate for website publication; links can also be arranged as appropriate. Everything will be posted on the NOP website no later than October 12, 2007 to provide the public sufficient time to review and comment.

Please be advised that the development of organic standards is a public process and the public will be invited to comment on all aquaculture symposium topics and documents, NOSB meeting agenda items, recommendations, etc. Submitted materials will be considered public comment and may be subject to review and comment by others. Please be prepared to respond to questions and issues raised by public commenters.