The 9th international shellfish conference was organised by the Shellfish Conferences Foundation. The Foundation has a board, which consists of Ineke Nijssen, Prof. dr. Dr. Aad Smaal, Dr. Ir. Jacob Capelle and Dr. Jasper van Houcke. These are the ones who take care of the actual organization. Aad Smaal is emeritus professor at Wageningen University and was a researcher at Wageningen Marine Research and Rijkswaterstaat. Jasper van Houcke is a lecturer in aquaculture at HZ/University of Applied Sciences and before that, team leader aquaculture at HZ. Dr Jacob Capelle works as a researcher at Wageningen Marine Research in Yerseke and carries out various projects in collaboration with the shellfish sector.

The theme for the conferences and the program is discussed with a advisory committee, which ensures that the topics are in line with what interests the 'constituency'. The advisory committee consists of representatives of the shellfish sector, the government and knowledge institutes.

The shellfish conferences have in principle been organised every 2 years since 2007 and have taken place in Vlissingen, Goes, Deltapark Neeltje Jans and now back in Goes at the DaVince Bioscoop. The number of participants increases every year and the fair also expands. Interest from abroad is also increasing. The themes of the conference focus on current issues, linked to long-term social developments. The target groups of the conference consist of people who work in the shellfish sector, their advisors, suppliers and customers, and people who work in research, policy and management. For several years now, civil society organisations, such as nature conservation organisations, have become more involved in the conference.