From 16 to 18 September, St. Petersburg will host the year's leading industry event — the Global Fishery Forum and Seafood Expo Russia. The event will be held for the ninth time, ahead of its anniversary, and will once again bring together representatives from all segments of the fisheries industry and its supporting infrastructure, with particular attention to a joint improvement of operational efficiency across the industry.

In 2026, the Seafood Expo Russia exhibition will be located in Pavilions F and G of the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Centre in St. Petersburg and will cover all areas of industry activity: from harvesting and aquaculture to processing, storage, transportation and the production of finished products. Separate sections will be dedicated to shipbuilding and equipment. The event program will be attended by heads of fisheries enterprises, representatives of federal and regional government bodies, industry associations and research organizations, as well as representatives of foreign countries as part of official delegations.

Decisive measures in response to modern challenges

One of the most significant topics of the 2026 business program will be a comprehensive set of measures for the development of the fisheries industry, combining the modernization of production capacity for harvesting and processing at sea and onshore, expansion of the range of modern equipment, adoption of digital monitoring technologies and best practices in the breeding and farming of aquatic biological resources with the production of deep-processed products.

Dedicated sessions will address the digitalization of the industry, the use of artificial intelligence in production and logistics, the state of commercial stocks and the continuous cold chain. International topics will include trade with BRICS+ and Global South countries, new supply routes and technological cooperation. The program will also feature sessions on workforce development and scientific support for the industry, everyday demand for fish products and increasing their share in school meals and children's diets.

International exhibition area to expand

While representatives of BRICS+ member countries will discuss ways to develop cooperation as part of the business program, the exhibition will allow them to showcase the products and services they already offer to the Russian fisheries industry and market. Indian enterprises will be located at the MPEDA stand, whose area has more than tripled compared with last year. Companies from Venezuela will once again come together at the stand of Venezuela's Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, while exhibitors from the Islamic Republic of Iran will be represented for the first time through a national pavilion.

The number of exhibitors from the People's Republic of China has increased significantly and will be the largest in the history of the exhibition. Representatives of the Chinese fisheries industry will be located across several large group stands, one of which will be coordinated by the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA). Major state-owned and private enterprises will traditionally showcase their products at their own stands: Liaoyu Group, Famsun, Dalian Rich and others.

Companies from Vietnam, Turkey, Korea, South Africa, Belarus and other EAEU countries will take part in the event. Official delegations from Cuba, Sri Lanka, Chile, Mozambique, Qatar and other countries are expected to visit the exhibition. Brazil's presence is particularly noteworthy, continuing the commitment to international cooperation announced during negotiations between Head of Federal Agency for Fishery Ilya Shestakov and The Minister of Fishing and Aquaculture of Brazil, Rivetla Edipo Araujo Cruz, in early August this year.

Another major event on the business agenda will be the International Trout Forum, which will bring together key producers, heads of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and representatives of friendly countries involved in the development of salmon and trout farming. The forum will open up new opportunities for the entire industry by providing a platform for consolidating efforts with foreign partners, dialogue between business and government and faster implementation of the best international practices in breeding and farming, feed production and selective breeding.

Special exposition areas

Issues concerning the development of the aquaculture and mariculture sector are becoming especially important amid the transition to more intensive production models and are given practical expression at the special AQUA FARM GLOBAL exposition. More than 100 participants will occupy over 3,000 square meters in Pavilion F. The stands will showcase equipment, feed, veterinary products, stocking material and developments in breeding and genetics. Two recirculating aquaculture systems operating under a limited biological load will be installed at the center of the exhibition, allowing participants to demonstrate their products and technologies.

The special SHIP TECH GLOBAL exposition will expand in 2026. The stands will present solutions for the construction, repair and modernization of the fishing fleet, including designs for fishing and refrigerated transport vessels, shipboard systems, processing and packaging equipment, storage technologies and port infrastructure facilities. The business program will address import substitution in shipbuilding, renewal of large-, medium- and small-tonnage fleets and equipment for deep processing.

Last year, 46% of all event participants expressed interest in the aquaculture and mariculture sector, while 34% were interested in the shipbuilding, ship repair and port infrastructure exhibition. The business program events of both special expositions will take place in Congress Centre D and in halls G22-G24 on the second floor of Pavilion G.

What else is there to see?

Seafood Expo Russia will host the award ceremony for the winners of the Best Fishery Product competition. They will receive the right to display gold, silver and bronze medals on their packaging as a mark of recognition of the product's quality and taste.

The exhibition program will feature more tastings and gastronomic events. Interactive, lounge and photo zones will operate at the venue together with spaces for business meetings. One of the zones will be dedicated to the exhibition's upcoming tenth anniversary: visitors will be invited to send a "message to the future" which will return to them at the X Seafood Expo Russia.

The traditional friendly football match for the industry will take place at 19:00 on 16 September near the Expoforum, the free transfer will be organized to deliver viewers to the venue. Teams representing business and the government regulator will play on the pitch with well-known Russian players strengthening both line-ups.

Gastronomic continuation

The forum and exhibition will end on September 18. Right after that, on September 19-20, the Russian Fish festival will open for both city residents and industry professionals at the Brusnitsyn Cultural Quarter in St. Petersburg. The organizers expect more than 25,000 consumers to attend, while the HoReCa forum will bring together over 2,000 restaurateurs, chefs, suppliers and buyers.

The venue will present 12 restaurant concepts developed by fish restaurants from different parts of the country and will host gastronomic shows and the Fish on the Grill Championship. Masterclasses will be held for visitors and professionals, while representatives of fishing companies and the restaurant market will discuss the needs of the foodservice market, requirements for the preparation of fish products and practices for working with local producers at foodservice establishments.

The program will be complemented by musical performances, while the bars will serve drinks specially selected by sommeliers to accompany the festival's fish dishes. This format will showcase fish cuisine as part of contemporary urban culture.

The Global Fishery Forum and Seafood Expo Russia are organized by the Federal Agency for Fishery with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. The event is operated by Expo Solutions Group.

The SHIP TECH GLOBAL special exposition of shipbuilding, ship repair, equipment and coastal infrastructure for the fisheries industry is held with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Attendance at the forum and exhibition is free for visitors who register until the evening of 17 September. Online registration is available via this link. The business program is being developed and will be updated.

Partners and sponsor of the event: Russian Agricultural Bank JSC (General Sponsor), Fishing Fleet Shipowners Association (Business Program Partner), Moreodor LLC (Registration Zone Partner), FishStat LLC (Digital Partner), ANTEY Group of Companies (Football Match Partner), PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (Partner), Murman LLC (Partner), Melkom Group of Companies JSC (General Partner of Aqua Farm Global), Fish Feeds JSC (Official Partner of Aqua Farm Global), Valkom LLC (Official Partner of Ship Tech Global), Nautic Rus LLC (Partner of Ship Tech Global), VARPE (Industry Partner of the Exhibition).