B.C. Seafood Expo 2019 to showcase bounty of our oceans
The B.C. Seafood Expo 2019 event in Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island on June 12 and 13 is one of the largest seafood industry trade events in the Pacific Northwest.
By SeaWestNews
Some of Canada’s top culinary artistes will
join scores of seafood buyers, aquaculture experts, industry leaders and
government representatives to network, meet and grow the seafood industry at
the 2019 edition of the B.C. Seafood Expo.
The event in Comox Valley on Vancouver
Island on June 12 and 13 is one of the largest seafood industry trade events in
the Pacific Northwest.
The Expo is wrapped around the 2019 BC
Seafood Festival which will be held from June 7 to 16.
“The Festival is now the largest seafood
festival in western Canada and the Expo and Trade Show components this year has
attracted a record number of exhibitors, delegates, buyers and suppliers,” said
John Watson, executive director of the Comox Valley Economic Development, the
organization that collaborates with a wide range of seafood organizations and
institutions to develop the Expo annually.
“It is an excellent opportunity to showcase
your services to a diverse range of both wild fishery and aquaculture sectors
and leaders.”
The expo features dozens of trade show
exhibitors, leading speakers in their fields, and provides a venue to network
with industry leaders, international buyers, distributors, and educators for
every type of fish, seafood, and seafood related products and services.
The program is also packed with educational sessions covering seafood business and leadership, aquaculture, food safety, policy, sustainability, traceability and transparency.
“The BC Seafood Expo is a great opportunity
to bring everyone together to talk about the business…It is really the only
time every year that the entire seafood business gets together in B.C.,” said
Jeremy Dunn, director of public affairs for Mowi Canada West.
The Seafood Expo also brings attention to
both the farmed and wild fisheries sector here in the province, said Dunn
“Seafood is an incredibly important
business for B.C., having local, regional and national leaders gain a greater
awareness and understanding is really important.” he said.
As in previous years, Mowi which operates
salmon farms around Vancouver Island, where 600 people produce 45,000 tonnes of
sustainable farm-raised Atlantic salmon each year, will be staging farm tours for
buyers and chefs.
Another of the exhibitors is the Underwater
Harvesters Association (UHA), a non-profit association formed in 1981 to
represent the 55 British Columbia geoduck and horse clam licence holders.
Association members also include crew members from the harvesting vessels and
the geoduck wholesalers located in British Columbia. There are currently 34
First Nations participating in the fishery.
“We are a big supporter of the Seafood Expo
as it provides a platform to showcase to British Columbians the sustainability
of our fisheries,” said Grant Dovey, UHA’s executive director.
“Much of our harvest is exported to Asian
markets and our primary interest is connecting with international buyers at the
Expo and looking for leads” he said.
The buyers’ delegation to this year’s expo
is the largest of its kind, organizers said. They include buyers from China, Hong
Kong, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore.
Other members of the international
delegation, organized by the Ministry of Jobs, Trade & Technology
International Buyers Mission, hail from USA, Ukraine, Poland, Uzbekistan,
Turkey and Serbia.
One of the keynote speakers this year will
be Mark Saunders, director of the International Year of the Salmon – Pacific
Region.
The International Year of the Salmon is a
5-year outreach and research initiative of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish
Commission and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization, with a
focal year in 2019. The year aims to raise public awareness, gather
stakeholders, stimulate science and inspire action to protect salmon.
The highlight of the two-day Expo is the
Flying Fresh Air Freight International Buyers’ Reception.
Helmed by Brendan Harnett, Flying Fresh Air
Freight Cargo is Canada’s top perishable freight forwarder. Close to 70 percent
of its’ business involves seafood and the company moves about 16 million kilos
of Canadian farmed salmon, wild fish, lobster, geoduck, halibut and oysters all
around the world.
Award winning food stylist, Nathan Fong, Fong
on Food, is the event’s Chef Producer, has brought together a dozen chefs for
the International Buyers’ Reception with a wide range of talents from around
the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island and BC.
Did
you know?
Canada exported a record $6.6 billion in
fish and seafood products in 2016.
Fish and seafood are among Canada’s largest
exports of food products.
Canada’s most valuable species exported in
2016, were, lobster, Atlantic salmon, snow (queen) crab and shrimp.
Lobster remains Canada’s top species
exported in terms of value, with over $2 billion worth in 2016.
Aquaculture is the fastest growing food
production activity in the world and a growing sector in Canada. About 45
species of marine and freshwater finfish, shellfish and aquatic plants are now
available.
In 2015, the aquaculture industry generated
over $1 billion in GDP, generating close to $3 billion in total economic
activity.
Approximately 72,000 Canadians make their
living directly from fishing and fishing-related activities.
About
BC Seafood Expo Trade Show 2019
The BC Seafood Expo Trade Show 2019 will
provide businesses the opportunity to meet face-to-face and showcase their
products & services to seafood buyers, exporters, distributors and other
providers from throughout BC and the pacific northwest.
For more information and how to register go
to https://bcseafoodexpo.com/
Related Links:
Canada’s seafood farmers aim for a healthier and wealthier planet