Atlantic Seafood & Buyers Go To World's Biggest Seafood Event

A delegation of 27 Atlantic Canadian seafood buyers and sellers are traveling to Brussels, Belgium to participate in the world’s largest seafood event with the help from federal and provincial governments. The European Seafood Exposition, being held April 22-24, 2008 is an annual event that offers seafood buyers and sellers from around the world a one-stop resource to reach global retail, food service and wholesale companies. 

“The Government of Canada is committed to helping Atlantic Canadian companies succeed internationally,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “Our Government’s investment of over $240,000 in this trade mission will help Atlantic Canadian exporters in the seafood industry to diversify and increase their international export activity. The Atlantic Canadian delegates who attended last year’s European Seafood Exhibition returned home with sales of $6.2 million and many new leads.”

“Our government is proud to support the New Brunswick seafood industry through the International Business Development Agreement,” said Minister of Business New Brunswick Greg Byrne. “This event will give our New Brunswick companies the opportunity to make valuable contacts and receive essential information on new products and technologies that will help them open new markets and be more globally competitive.”

The European Seafood Exposition brings together over 1,600 seafood buyers and sellers from more than 87 countries to showcase every category of seafood products including fresh, frozen, live and value-added seafood; storage, processing and handling equipment; and a host of seafood- related services including freight-handling, insurance, and information technology. 

While at the exhibition, the Atlantic Canadian delegates will participate in a food showcase, networking receptions, site tours and one-on-one business meeting. The trade mission, led by the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia, is designed to give the participating companies the opportunity make new contacts, form trade alliances and gather essential market information on new products, technologies and trends in the seafood industry. 

“Atlantic Canadian companies are increasingly looking to the European Union countries for new or expanded market opportunities,” said Brian Muise, Executive Director of the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia. “It’s really great to play a small part in helping to make that happen.” 

A total of $298,238 in financial assistance for the delegation’s participation in the 2008 European Seafood Exposition is provided through the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA). The IBDA is a federal/provincial agreement between the Government of Canada (ACOA, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada) and the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada, and is designed to help Atlantic Canadian businesses enter, explore and succeed in international markets. 

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A delegation of 27 Atlantic Canadian seafood buyers and sellers are heading to Brussels, Belgium to participate in the world’s largest seafood event. The European Seafood Exposition, being held April 22-24, 2008 is an annual event that offers seafood buyers and sellers from around the world a one-stop resource to reach global retail, food service and wholesale companies. 

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and ACOA, noted the importance of this event for Atlantic Canadian seafood producers who want to diversify and expand their export activity. He added that Atlantic Canadian delegates who attended the 2007 European Seafood Exhibition returned home with $6.2 million in sales and many new leads.

Financial assistance for the Atlantic Canadian delegation’s participation at the European Seafood Exhibition is provided through the International Business Development Agreement. This federal-provincial agreement is designed to help Atlantic Canadian businesses enter, explore and succeed in international markets.