The largest international seafood business conference will be swimming into New Brunswick in 2023.
GOAL: The Responsible Seafood Conference will take place in the Saint John region next fall.
It is only the second time the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) conference will have been held in Canada.
“Atlantic Canada is a major seafood producer on the global aquaculture scene, particularly with salmon,” Brian Perkins, CEO of the alliance, said in a news release.
“Coupled with a rich tradition of wild-harvest fisheries, New Brunswick is an ideal fit for GOAL 2023 and GSA.”
An estimated 500 seafood industry leaders will take part in the event, described as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association, the trade association representing the region’s fish-farming sector, led the bid.
It will work with the federal government, the provincial government and other seafood industry bodies throughout Atlantic Canada to deliver the event, along with GSA.
“As one of the regions that pioneered the global salmon farming sector, Atlantic Canada has become an extraordinary hub of innovative and sustainable aquaculture and cutting-edge marine research,” said Susan Farquharson, executive director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association.
“We cannot wait to showcase Atlantic Canada’s science-based, collaborative approach to sustainable seafood production to the world.”
Paulette Hicks, CEO of Envision Saint John, said the conference will inject upwards of $1 million into the local economy.
GOAL has been held in 18 cities on four continents — North America, South America, Europe and Asia — since 2001.
