The biggest industry event of the year – IV Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo Russia 2021 – officially opened in ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre on 9 September.
The opening ceremony was attended by Andrey Yatskin, First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council; Dmitry Patrushev, Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation; Ilya Shestakov, Head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries; Jacob Vestergaard, Minister of Fisheries of the Faroe Islands; Kristjan Thor Juliusson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture of Iceland; Augusta de Fatima Maita, Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries of Mozambique; Vladimir Rakhmanin, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization; Georgi Sabev, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of Bulgaria; Mustafa Altug Atalay, General Director, Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey; and Alexander Tsybulsky, Governor of the Arkhangelsk Region.
Andrey Yatskin read out a formal greeting to the participants and organizers of the events on behalf of Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council. “We are confident that the work of the Forum and Exhibition will contribute to important decision-making on strengthening the fisheries sector, while also expanding intersectoral, interregional and international ties, and developing business cooperation. We wish you interesting discussions and fruitful work!” the senator said on behalf of the Federation Council Speaker.
Dmitry Patrushev congratulated everyone on the opening of the Forum and Exhibition. “It has become a good tradition to gather here in St Petersburg for the industry Forum and Exhibition to discuss the trends in the Russian fisheries sector in a global context. Fortunately, the situation permits us to meet in person this year. We can see that attention to the Forum and Exhibition is growing”, the Agriculture Minister said.
Dmitry Patrushev stressed that Russia was making a significant contribution to global catch and global food security. Aquatic bioresources production amounted to about 5 million tonnes last year. Even during the pandemic, the fisheries complex produced a stable output.
“The sector’s achievements are clearly demonstrated by the display of fish products at the Exhibition, which is getting larger every year”, the minister concluded, inviting everyone to visit the exhibition halls.
Ilya Shestakov pointed out that the combined event – the Forum and Exhibition – had become the biggest industry event of the year. “More and more exhibitors from related sectors are taking part each time. This year, around four hundred companies and industry organisations from 21 countries and 40 Russian regions are represented on 18,000 square metres”, the head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries stressed.
The Forum’s business programme focuses on the risks facing global fisheries and aquaculture, changes in logistics flows and consumer demand, and ways to maintain investment in the sector and profitability. It is equally pressing to develop education and attract new personnel to the sector, strengthen the scientific base and introduce advanced technologies.
“I would like to thank our foreign partners for attending the event in person given the difficult conditions during the pandemic. I wish all participants interesting and useful communication, successful deals and new ideas”, Shestakov said.
Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo Russia 2021 covers all areas of the fishing industry: from catching and processing seafood to delivery of catches to the end consumer, as well as shipbuilding and repair, financial and insurance services, and scientific support.
It is organized by the Federal Agency for Fisheries with the support of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, and operated by Expo Solutions Group.
The opening ceremony will be followed by a plenary session attended by Russian Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev, Ilya Shestakov, Head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, foreign colleagues and leading industry experts. Also scheduled for Thursday are a session on fish promotion and international cooperation, as well as the development of cooperation within the FAO framework.
The events will be attended by the heads of the relevant Russian and foreign agencies, professional associations, scientific, educational and expert organisations, including delegations from South Korea, Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Turkey, Mauritius and other countries, as well as the heads of Russian regions and representatives of the business community.
The Exhibition focuses on catching and processing, aquaculture, shipbuilding and repair, specialised equipment, specialised services and product marketing. More than 400 companies will take part, including those from Belgium, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
The following Russian regions will also present their stands: the Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Kaliningrad, Leningrad, Murmansk, Rostov Regions, Republic of Karelia, Republic of Crimea, Krasnodar, Kamchatka, Moscow, Sevastopol and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District.
One of the Exhibition’s unique events is the Retail Centre, with more than 700 rounds of fish supply negotiations scheduled between retailers and fishing businesses. Representatives from 27 federal and regional retail chains and leading online retailers will take part in the work of the Retail Centre.