March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, but at NOAA Fisheries it’s also a season of seafood! Seafood Expo North America, held every March in Boston for the past 40 years, is the largest trade show in North America.
A bustling, diverse set of seafood companies and interests provide a look into the landscape of today’s global seafood trade. Visitors can satisfy their craving for seafood knowledge and learn more about everything from farmed fish and shellfish to an array of wild-capture seafood and “value-added” products like fish sticks.
NOAA Fisheries is hosting a booth showcasing experts from across federal programs engaged with the seafood supply chain. If you plan to attend, we hope you can join one of our panel discussions (below) or drop by our booth #181.
Sunday, March 12, 2023
2:15 PM-3:15 PM (Room 152)—Harmonizing Traceability and Transparency in a Dynamic Regulatory Landscape
In the last year, the demand for enhanced seafood traceability has continued to increase and seafood trade regulations around the world have evolved and expanded. Governments are making commitments to cooperate in their efforts to combat IUU-harvested seafood in the supply chain more than ever before. Despite this, illegally harvested and misrepresented seafood still makes its way to consumers around the world. Alexa Cole, Director of NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce, joins a panel of private sector stakeholders that will review the evolving regulatory landscape for seafood traceability and discuss challenges and opportunities for effective implementation.
3:30 PM-5:00 PM (Room 151B)—NOAA Leadership Update: Supporting the U.S. Seafood Industry through Science and Strategy
U.S. fisheries are among the world’s largest and most sustainable, but the health of our ocean economy relies on the health of the ocean. NOAA Fisheries is playing a critical role in enacting the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities around mitigating impacts of climate change and strengthening our Blue Economy. Join NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad, NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit, and other members of NOAA leadership for an update on Administration priorities as they relate to seafood and a discussion about how the agency is working to support increased production and resilience in the face of numerous challenges.
Monday, March 13, 2023
9:00 AM-10:15 AM (Room 204A)—Industry Roundtable: Facilitating Market Access for U.S. Seafood in International Trade and Commerce
NOAA Fisheries recognizes the value of engaging with the seafood industry on priorities around trade and commerce, and promoting the competitiveness of American seafood abroad. The roundtable is intended to be a dialogue between NOAA leadership and industry representatives, and could become an annual forum for industry stakeholder engagement, focusing discussions on different trade policy and trade promotion priorities.
After brief introductory remarks, including our vision for International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce, we will move into a discussion with roundtable participants. Key discussion points include:
- Brief introduction of IATC and its Trade and Commerce Division
- Roles and responsibilities of U.S. government agencies on seafood trade
- Market access and trade facilitation
- Export documentation requirements and associated challenges
- How NOAA Fisheries and other agencies can assist companies in existing or new international markets
- Company export strategies, including identifying and targeting foreign markets for U.S. exports based on sound market intelligence and analysis of market opportunities
Tuesday, March 13, 2023
9:00 AM-10:00 AM (Room 204A)—Public Feedback Session: NOAA’s Draft Seafood Strategy
NOAA Fisheries has released its draft National Seafood Strategy and encourages all interested members of the public to review and share feedback. The strategy underscores NOAA’s strong commitment to seafood sector resilience and responds to the unprecedented challenges facing the U.S. seafood industry, including climate change, the coronavirus pandemic, new technologies and other ocean uses, and significant labor shortages and aging infrastructure. Public comments are integral to finalizing the strategy and helping guide the direction of our work to support the seafood sector. Please join us to share your thoughts on the strategy and its implementation.
