Responsible Seafood Summit

Sponsored by Choice Canning Company.

Inflation is eating into disposable income, consumers are once again time starved, foodservice is bouncing back and the pandemic-fueled cooking-seafood-at-home fad is fading. On top of that, the labor market remains tight, and the economy is stuck in a wage-price spiral. As a result, retail seafood sales are stalling. In a post-pandemic world, what do retailers need to do to grow seafood’s share of the grocery basket? Do they need to focus on what’s selling well? Do they offer more deals and better communicate the value of seafood? Do they provide more tray-pack fish, value-added seafood and meal-kit solutions? Is this affecting how buyers and sellers approach sustainability? Some of the world’s leading retail seafood buyers share their thoughts.

The political landscape is evolving. Aquaculture and fisheries are increasingly viewed as political risks. Jobs and employment, food security and First Nations rights are increasingly ignored in the name of conservation. Polarization is at an all-time high. As a business, whether established or new, how do you plan for the future in a politically charged environment? How do we get politicians and the public to see seafood, farmed and wild, as food. What role do certification programs play? What can we learn by aligning with other food-production sectors and acting as a more unified front? And how can a better aligned seafood industry lead to production growth for both aquaculture and fisheries?

Sponsored by Mazzetta Company.

Watch as the co-hosts of the Global Seafood Alliance's Aquademia podcast interview speakers and attendees live from the Saint John Delta.

A series of field trips to aquaculture production facilities and fishing communities will depart from the lobby of the Saint John Delta beginning at 1:30 p.m. When registering, check “field trips” to hold your spot on one or more field trips. Schedules will be released soon. Transportation sponsored by Expalsa.

Speakers from the morning plenary join this afternoon breakout for a question-and-answer discussion with the audience.

Speakers from the morning plenary join this afternoon breakout for a question-and-answer discussion with the audience.

Join the six finalists of the 11th annual Responsible Seafood Innovation Award for a reception and ceremony in which the two winners of the 2023 competition – one for aquaculture and one for wild-capture fisheries – will be announced. Sponsored by the U.S. Soybean Export Council.

Sponsored by Choice Canning Company.

ESG is a framework that helps stakeholders understand how an organization is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social and governance criteria. Banks, investors and retail and foodservice corporations are ramping up their expectations, setting aggressive goals for 2030 and beyond. They’re looking to lower-impact foods, and they’re pushing their suppliers to reduce carbon emissions and strengthen worker voice. Are suppliers meeting these expectations? Is there a need for suppliers to be more transparent about where they’re falling short on their environmental and social responsibility goals? Is there a need for the NGO community to hold them more accountable and create a “safe space” for improvements to be made?

Blue foods play a critical role in food security and social economic prosperity. Three billion people rely on seafood for food or livelihood, or both. The oceans can produce six times more food than they currently do, particularly foods originating from mariculture and the marriage of aquaculture and fisheries. How do we get there? The need to get there sooner rather than later is being accelerated by efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, inflation and the higher cost of labor, processing and shipping are forcing the industry to rethink its supply chain and consider reshoring, bringing social and economic prosperity back to rural areas in need of it. How do we create incentives for that to happen? What role do technology and automation play in making that happen?

Watch as the co-hosts of the Global Seafood Alliance's Aquademia podcast interview speakers and attendees live from the Saint John Delta.

A series of field trips to aquaculture production facilities and fishing communities will depart from the lobby of the Saint John Delta beginning at 1:30 p.m. When registering, check “field trips” to hold your spot on one or more field trips. Schedules will be released soon. Transportation sponsored by Expalsa.

For the second consecutive year, the Global Seafood Alliance is organizing Connect, a matchmaking activity connecting seafood buyers with suppliers through presentations to the audience and one-on-one meetings. Buyers who participate in Connect receive complimentary registration to the Responsible Seafood Summit. For more information or to participate, contact GSA Media & Events Manager Jim Batchelor.

Speakers from the morning plenary join this afternoon breakout for a question-and-answer discussion with the audience.

Speakers from the morning plenary join this afternoon breakout for a question-and-answer discussion with the audience.

Join us for dinner and drinks at the historic Imperial Theatre, which is walking distance from the Delta and Hilton. The gala will conclude with a show in the theater. Sponsored by the Province of New Brunswick.

Sponsored by Choice Canning Company.

Pressure is mounting for both aquaculture and fisheries to gety ahead of the next crisis by being more resourceful and more thoughtful of the animals they farm, catch and interact with. Mitigating bycatch, reducing wildlife interaction, replacing traditional baits with alternative baits, improving animal welfare through more humane slaughtering techniques and using seafood processing waste more efficiently are among the challenges faced by both aquaculture and fisheries. What can aquaculture and fisheries learn from each other to become a more resourceful, more thoughtful industry as a whole?

Join us for 2024 Responsible Seafood Summit, co-hosted by Seafood Scotland, at the Fairmont St. Andrews on Scotland’s east coast from Oct. 21 to 24.

Sponsored by Seafood Scotland.