Programme
The proposed programme for the TCS 2026 is as follows:
SUNDAY 31 MAY 2026
14:00 Meeting Registration opens (or from 07:00 on Monday morning)
14:00 Setting up of posters in Auditorium 2 (or from 07:00 on Monday morning)
17:00 Close of registration
MONDAY 01 JUNE 2026
08:00 Registration Open | Arrival coffee/tea | Poster viewing and networking
08:30 Welcome and Opening
08:45 Plenary Session 1 – Afrotropical crustacean systematics over the past 40 years (Prof. Neil Cumberlidge, Northern Michigan University, USA)
09:30 Scientific Sessions
10:30 Mid-morning refreshments
11:00 Scientific Sessions
12:15 Group Photo
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Scientific Sessions
15:00 Mid-afternoon refreshments
15:30 Scientific Sessions
17:15 Welcome Reception at STIAS (Dress code: come as you are!)
TUESDAY 02 JUNE 2026
08:00 Registration Open | Arrival coffee/tea | Poster viewing and networking
08:30 Plenary Session 2 – Issues faced by small scale fishers in South Africa, with a focus on the west coast rock lobster fishery (Prof. Moenieba Isaacs,
University of Cape Town, South Africa)
09:15 Scientific Sessions
10:45 Mid-morning refreshments
11:15 Scientific Sessions
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Scientific Sessions
15:00 Mid-afternoon refreshments
15:30 Scientific Sessions
16:30 Close of Day 2 – Free evening to explore Stellenbosch
WEDNESDAY 03 JUNE 2026
Mid-week Excursions!
Choose from:
THURSDAY 04 JUNE 2026
08:00 Registration Open | Arrival coffee/tea | Poster viewing and networking
09:00 Scientific Sessions
10:30 Mid-morning refreshments
11:00 Scientific Sessions
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Plenary Session 3 – Unlocking biodiversity data for decisions that make a difference: two decades of research shaping ocean assessment, planning
and protection (Prof. Kerry Sink, South African National Biodiversity Institute & Dr Lara Atkinson, South African Environmental Observation Network
(SAEON) Egagasini Node)
14:15 TCS Annual meeting & next conference bids
14:45 Close of Conference & Prize Giving
18:00 Gala Dinner @ GOLD Restaurant
