September, 16-18, 2026, Saint Petersburg
ONLINE REGISTRATION16 September (Day 1)
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Registration
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Roundtable “Digitalization in Fisheries: A Tool for Business and Regulation”
Event details will be released soon.
Organizers:
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Roundtable “Where Is the Fish? The Resource Potential of Russian Fisheries”
Event details:
At present, the fisheries sector is facing a significant decline in the stocks of traditionally harvested Russian species, including pollock, sardine mackerel (iwashi), mackerel, saury, Barents Sea and Baltic cod, Far Eastern salmon, and Caspian sturgeon. This is affecting catch volumes and the price of fish products on the domestic market.
Topics to discuss:
- Causes and trends in the decline of stocks of traditionally harvested Russian fish species
- What are scientists’ forecasts regarding the timeframe and dynamics of stock recovery?
- Scientists’ proposals to mitigate the impact on the Russian fish products market
Organizers:
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Youth Forum “Fishery Skills” Panel Session “Dive Into the Industry! Opportunities for Russian Youth in the Fisheries Sector”
Event details:
Today’s youth in Russia represent 37 million citizens who are studying and beginning their career paths within the country. The fisheries sector employs tens of thousands of students and hundreds of thousands of professionals engaged in the full production cycle of fish products, ensuring national food security.
Each of them has opportunities not only for professional growth as employees of enterprises, but also for personal development as individuals. Today, all the necessary conditions for developing human capital have been created, and young specialists only need to make use of them.
The panel session “Dive Into the Industry! Opportunities for Russian Youth in the Fisheries Sector” will explore best practices for youth development both at the national level and specifically within the fisheries industry.
Topics to discuss:
- Youth policy of Russia’s fisheries sector as the key driver of workforce security in the industry
- The Rosmolodezh ecosystem and opportunities for youth in Russia’s fisheries sector
- Experience of cooperation between the All-Russian student project "Tvoi Khod" (Your move) and the Federal Agency for Fisheries education complex
- Russia – a Land of Opportunities: equal opportunities for everyone
- Practical mechanisms for engaging children in Russia’s fisheries sector
- Value-based messaging: how to convey “Knowledge” to the younger generation in Russia
- Fishing routes of Russia and engaging youth in recreational fishing
Organizers:
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Business Session “New Supply Chains and Emerging Routes for Seafood Trade Expansion in BRICS+”
Event details:
In the context of the current geopolitical and economic transformation, interstate alliances are playing an increasingly important role in building sustainable trade relations and enhancing countries’ participation in global supply chains. Today, Russia is actively cooperating both with the permanent BRICS members and with countries participating in the expanded format and partnership framework of the association.
Discussing the fisheries agenda at the international level will help improve existing and develop new supply chains for fish products, equipment, and technologies between countries, as well as identify key barriers to trade development.
Topics to discuss:
- What key structural constraints currently determine the resilience of seafood supply chains among BRICS+ countries: logistics, settlements, quality standards, certification, or access to infrastructure?
- Which seafood product segments and pricing categories are most promising for mutual trade among BRICS+ countries, and what conditions are necessary for growth?
- At which stages of the value chain, including harvesting, processing, transportation, cold chain logistics, and final distribution, do the main trade disruptions between BRICS+ countries currently occur?
- To what extent does the existing infrastructure, including ports, cold storage, transport, and financial systems, support the development of sustainable interregional seafood supply chains?
- Which regulatory, currency, and logistics barriers currently have the greatest impact on limiting the growth of seafood trade among BRICS+ countries?
Organizers:
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Youth Forum “Fishery Skills” Roundtable “From Classroom to Workplace: How to Retain Graduates in the Industry”
Topics to discuss:
- Practical training and subsequent employment opportunities in Russia’s fisheries industry for students of the Federal Agency for Fisheries educational system
- Human resource potential of Russia’s fisheries sector: which specialists are in demand today and in the future?
- “Russian Student Teams” as a practical tool for integrating students and graduates into the workforce
- Professional opportunities in Russia’s fisheries industry: what makes the sector attractive today?
- What do graduates want, and how can the industry retain highly qualified young professionals?
- Young Professionals in Science: Is the Next Generation Joining Russian Research?
Organizers:
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FishCorr awards ceremony
FishCorr is a competition for publishers, representatives of Russian media outlets and authors (including bloggers) who write and broadcast about the development of the fishery industry, restoration of aquatic bioresources and environmental issues.
The competition sponsored by the Federal Agency for Fishery has been conducted since 2019.
Organizers:
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Golden Pollock Award for Advancing Pollock Consumption and Product Promotion by RFC
The Golden Pollock Award was established by the Russian Fishery Company (RFC). It is presented to partners for effective collaboration, the development and introduction of new pollock products, high product quality, and successful market promotion.
Organizers:
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“Fish Day Every Day” Award for Contributions to the Promotion of Seafood Consumption
Event details will be released soon.
Organizers:
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Youth Forum “Fishery Skills” Presentation “The Russian Fisheries Industry”
Event details:
Event details will be released soon.
Agenda:
- Presentation by the Federal Agency for Fisheries
- Presentation by VNIRO
- Presentation by Glavrybvod
- Presentation by the Educational Complex of the Federal Agency for Fisheries
- Presentation by CFMCS
- Presentation by National Fish Resources
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2nd All-Russian Youth Biohackathon “FARWATER-2026” – Final
Event details:
In 2025, the final of the Biohackathon “FARWATER” was held for the first time as part of the Global Fishery Forum. The event demonstrated strong results, bringing together 101 teams, more than 250 participants, and 51 organizations from across Russia, including all five specialized universities under the Federal Agency for Fisheries and 30 leading Russian universities, such as Lomonosov Moscow State University, ITMO University, Far Eastern Federal University, and Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy.
The finalist projects covered key technological areas, ranging from AI-based fish health monitoring and autonomous seaweed harvesting to medical materials derived from aquatic biological resources and environmentally friendly sorbents.
Following the successful 2025 edition and the growing need to integrate robotics into the youth innovation agenda, the 2nd All-Russian Youth Biohackathon “FARWATER-2026” will expand its focus to include the following areas:
- Underwater robotics and ROV technologies: computer vision solutions for remotely operated vehicles, autonomous navigation systems, detection of cage damage and biofouling, and automated stock assessment
- Artificial intelligence in aquaculture: predictive health analytics, smart feeding systems, and digital twins for fish farming operations
- Algae biotechnology: value-added processing, innovative food products, feed ingredients, and pharmaceutical applications
- Sustainable aquaculture: recirculating aquaculture systems, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, and low-carbon production solutions
- Aqua-Press: youth-led media projects and digital content dedicated to the fisheries and aquaculture sector
Details available at the link: https://biohackathon.ru/
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Roundtable “Innovations in Fish Processing: Equipment, Packaging, and Ingredients”
Event details:
The growth in the share of value-added fish products depends not only on catch volumes, but also on the state of production and market infrastructure, including access to modern processing technologies, equipment development, the availability of ingredient bases, and packaging solutions that ensure convenience, product safety, and consumer appeal.
The systematic development of these areas creates a foundation for scaling ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat formats, which are becoming key drivers of transformation in the fisheries industry and reflect a shift toward a more sophisticated product and consumer market structure.
Topics to discuss:
- What systemic constraints currently define the scale of deep fish processing, from technologies and equipment to demand structure and logistics?
- What needs to change in the production, technological and distribution chain for ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat fish products to become mainstream rather than niche offerings?
- Where in the value creation chain, from harvesting and processing to packaging and distribution, is the main value-added generated today and through which infrastructure elements can it be lost?
- What currently limits the development of demand for ready-made fish products: price, consumer habits or the lack of competitive technological and product offerings?
- Who can drive the transition to a product-oriented model and through which solutions: fisheries, processing industry, retail or an integrated ecosystem of technology, market and production?
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Roundtable “Unbroken Cold Chain: Ensuring Quality in Seafood Logistics”
Event details:
The unbroken cold chain in the fisheries industry today is no longer a desirable component of transportation and storage, but a critical requirement for ensuring the delivery of high-quality products from the point of catch or production to the end consumer’s table.
The “Cold Chain” project is one of the priority initiatives of the International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT) and is chaired by the President of the Association of Food Sector Organizations (ASORPS).
The roundtable will focus on real-life case studies and promising directions for the development of an unbroken cold chain, specifically in the transportation of frozen and chilled fish products.
Organizers:
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Industry football match
Traditional friendly football match between the organizers and participants of the Global Fishery Forum.
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17 September (Day 2)
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Registration
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International Trout Forum Strategic Session “Challenges and Opportunities Amid Global Transformation”
Event details:
Trout and salmon farming are becoming the most visible drivers of growth in Russia’s aquaculture sector, which has reached a plateau and now requires new development incentives. The industry needs a unified platform for sharing experience, reviewing performance results, and defining further steps to improve efficiency.
This is why the International Trout Forum is becoming a key event in the development of the aquaculture agenda. It will bring together major producers, heads of Russian regions, and representatives of friendly countries involved in the development of salmon and trout farming.
The main objective of the event is to exchange experience and develop promising areas of cooperation to ensure the most effective use of best practices among participants.
Topics to discuss:
- How do global climate and environmental changes affect trout farming in different countries, and which solutions have already proven effective and can be scaled across diverse natural conditions?
- Which production, marketing and export strategies enable trout farming to combine business sustainability with margin growth in international markets?
- Where is value added in the trout industry created across different countries: at the level of raw materials, processing, finished products, branding, marketing or market access?
- Which elements of the value chain: feed, stocking material, technology, logistics and processing, have the greatest impact on the competitiveness of the industry in different countries today?
- How do differences in natural and climatic conditions, including cold, warm and mountainous water systems, affect production costs, margin structure and export competitiveness in trout farming, and can a unified economic model for the industry exist?
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Roundtable “The Caspian Sea Without Borders: Science, Environmental Sustainability, and Digital Technologies for Fisheries”
Event details:
The Caspian Sea has no borders in the true sense of the word. Its ecosystem is unified: fish do not follow political demarcation lines, pollution does not stop at national borders, and changes in the food base in one part of the basin immediately affect the entire water body. At the same time, the Caspian is divided among five countries, each pursuing its own environmental management policies, with differing levels of scientific infrastructure and its own approach to balancing hydrocarbon extraction with the preservation of fisheries potential.
This is where science, ecology and digital technologies cease to be separate disciplines and become a single integrated tool. Artificial intelligence technologies – including predictive modelling, satellite data analysis, computer vision, and early warning systems for pollution – can provide what traditional monitoring methods lack: speed, coverage, and real-time responsiveness across an entire enclosed water system. However, technology without data is powerless, and data without cooperation is incomplete.
Universities across the Caspian states, united by a shared scientific agenda, hold unique potential to form a cross-border research environment – one in which shared datasets, harmonized methodologies, and the training of a new generation of specialists become the foundation for the sustainable development of the entire regional fisheries sector.
The roundtable “The Caspian Sea Without Borders” is a platform for equal dialogue between science, business and international organizations on how, by removing institutional and national barriers, the Caspian Sea can be preserved as a living ecosystem and a foundation of the fisheries sector for present and future generations.
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Roundtable “Import substitution in shipbuilding – plans and reality”
Event details:
To implement the updated Shipbuilding Industry Development Strategy through 2036, as well as the long-term plan for civilian vessel construction through 2035, the domestic marine equipment industry is expected to supply a significant share of marine equipment products and master critical technologies. A range of state support measures and instruments has been established to achieve this.
One of them is the import substitution program, under which more than one hundred integrated projects are being implemented to develop critical marine equipment, with over half already at an advanced stage of implementation.
Localization requirements in shipbuilding are currently standardized under Government Decree No. 719, which applies to all types of vessels, including fishing vessels. For the fishing fleet specifically, reduced scoring thresholds apply, set at 2,400 points. Since 2025, a new provision has also been in force introducing a 1.4 coefficient increase in localization scores for vessels up to 30 meters in length.
However, both industry stakeholders and shipowners still have concerns regarding marine equipment manufacturers and regulatory bodies in the area of import substitution. These include the need to expand the range of domestically produced equipment, improve technical and economic performance, reduce costs for end users, and ensure accessible servicing and spare parts supply.
At the same time, marine equipment manufacturers also raise issues related to expanding support measures for actual production, improving transparency in certification processes, and ensuring the applicability of equipment in specific vessel projects.
The session proposes to examine the issue of import substitution of marine equipment from multiple perspectives – both from shipowners and manufacturers, as well as regulatory authorities – to raise key questions and potentially identify not only answers but also practical solutions.
Topics to discuss:
- Definition of new state support measures to implement plans for building the fishing fleet
- Inclusion of specific marine equipment manufacturing projects into targeted programs (with subsequent financing) based on the new Shipbuilding Industry Development Strategy
- Import substitution in shipbuilding and compliance with current localization requirements, with priority given to Russian-made equipment on vessels
- Ways to address the main current challenges in the industry, including the inability to localize certain categories of marine equipment
Within the framework of the roundtable, together with representatives of the Shipbuilding Industry and Marine Equipment Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Federal Agency for Fisheries, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, CNIIMF “Kurs,” United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), shipyards, and marine equipment manufacturers, it is proposed to develop recommendations for specific measures to be included in state programs, and to identify the most pressing issues in the fishing fleet construction sector that require financing and the attention of the Shipbuilding Industry and Marine Equipment Department.
Organizers:
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Roundtable “Fish in the Era of Globalization”
Event details will be released soon.
Organizers:
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International Trout Forum Roundtable “Equipment, Feed, and Fish Seed: Technological Sovereignty vs International Cooperation”
Event details:
The work of the International Trout Forum will continue with a discussion of more specialized issues. Experts, as well as representatives of business and science, will focus on equipment and technologies, feed and stocking material, the sufficiency of domestic production capacities to ensure technological sovereignty, and optimal approaches to the import of necessary inputs, as well as other components of aquaculture enterprise economics.
Topics to discuss:
- Which components of the value chain such as feed, stocking material and equipment are already localized in Russia and where does international cooperation remain beneficial and necessary?
- What lessons has international experience provided to Russian aquaculture producers and which domestic technologies and developments have the strongest potential for export and international adoption?
- What is the potential of joint aquaculture and trout farming projects to improve key production indicators including juvenile survival rates, feed efficiency and reductions in losses during transportation and processing?
- RAS and pond-based trout farming: profitability, biological risks, technological solutions and the specific features of both models in domestic and export oriented production.
- How do modern approaches to processing and utilization of aquaculture waste including feed residues, organic matter and by-products affect production costs and environmental sustainability in trout farming and which solutions have already proven economically effective?
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Roundtable “Industrial Fleet – Moving from Present to Future”
Event details:
The differing economic logic of the process is a key point of contention among the main stakeholders in the shipbuilding market. Fishermen are focused on vessel construction speed, predictable delivery timelines, and actual operational readiness at sea, while shipbuilders prioritize production capacity utilization, equipment availability, cost overrun risks, and the extent to which a project fits into the existing production cycle.
Shipyards are objectively incentivized to work with longer planning horizons, as extended schedules provide better control over production risks and ensure stable capacity utilization. Shipowners, on the other hand, aim to refine projects and often introduce modifications with each subsequent order, even within the same series. Equipment suppliers and manufacturers, as well as designers, require serial production to reduce costs through standardization. As a result, a natural but structural conflict of logics emerges: what improves the economics of one stakeholder often undermines the economics of another.
Within the framework of the roundtable “Industrial Fleet – Moving from Present to Future,” with participation from all stakeholders involved in fleet construction, it is planned to develop possible scenarios for the industry’s development, taking into account the updated Government of the Russian Federation strategy for the shipbuilding industry, revised shipyard production plans, state support programs for shipyards, as well as issues related to the construction, outfitting, and repair of medium and small-tonnage fishing vessels.
Topics to discuss:
- Analysis of the current situation in the fishing fleet shipbuilding sector
- Ways to improve the efficiency of fishing fleet construction at shipyards
- Definition of a list of critical marine equipment and materials, and the potential use of Russian-made equipment in domestic concept designs for fishing vessels
- Strengthening cooperation with shipowners at all stages of vessel construction
- Improving the competitiveness of Russian fishing vessel designs in terms of delivery time and quality
- Identification of the most critical areas in vessel design for potential inclusion in state programs and shipyard subsidy schemes
Organizers:
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Roundtable “Fish Day Every Day: Expanding Seafood Consumption”
Event details:
The session is proposed as a practice-oriented industry discussion based on the working group approach of the Fish Union “Fish Day Every Day,” focused on increasing fish consumption and promoting the healthy nutrition agenda. The central idea is to explore which joint actions by government, producers, brands, processors, retailers, fishers, and communication platforms can transform fish from an occasional purchase into a staple of everyday consumption.
The session will also present the first results of the working group. The relevance of the topic is confirmed by the fact that, despite a high level of self-sufficiency in fish production, domestic consumption in Russia still has significant growth potential, and the issue of increasing fish and seafood consumption has already become established in both industry and public discourse.
The “Fish Day Every Day” concept is viewed as an overarching framework for a systematic approach to consumer engagement, retail, product assortment, price accessibility, and healthy lifestyle communication.
Key objective:
To develop a shared understanding of the key drivers of growth in fish consumption in Russia and to discuss practical measures that market participants are ready to implement jointly within the framework of the “Fish Day Every Day” program.
Topics to discuss:
- What currently prevents fish from becoming a regular choice for most Russian households: price, consumption habits, cooking complexity, or insufficient communication?
- Which product categories and formats currently offer the greatest potential for increasing consumption?
- From the retail perspective, what is most effective in increasing purchase frequency: pricing, shelf placement, in-store navigation, content, or brand collaborations?
- What joint actions is the industry ready to take within the framework of the Fish Union working group approach?
Organizers:
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Open Talk “Look Beyond the Horizon!”
“Look Beyond the Horizon!” is a traditional event where top industry leaders and students from fisheries universities meet as equals. Winners of university competitions held in 2026 will present and defend their projects and may receive offers directly from leading industry representatives.
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AQUA FARM GLOBAL Roundtable on Aquaculture Feed
Traditional partner roundtable within the specialized exposition on aquaculture feed production.
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Roundtable “Fish for Children: Integrating Fish into School Meals”
Event details:
Establishing fish dishes in children’s diets is one of the fundamental objectives in achieving the goal set by the President of the Russian Federation, V. V. Putin, to increase fish consumption among the population, as dietary habits are formed in childhood. One of the key tools in this direction is increasing fish consumption within the school meals system.
Today, this objective is hindered by a range of factors, from the absence of a mandatory requirement to include fish in school meal menus, allowing substitution with other food products, to the “human factor” affecting the quality of fish preparation in school kitchens and, consequently, the level of acceptance and consumption of fish dishes by children.
Topics to discuss:
- Importance of fish consumption for children’s health and development
- Level of fish consumption in schools
- Opportunities to expand the range of fish products in public and municipal procurement for school meals
- Reducing the “human factor” in the preparation of fish dishes: the role of industrial processing and the development of training for fish technologists
- Balancing nutrition and taste: what modern producers are ready to offer schoolchildren in terms of fish-based meals
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AQUA FARM GLOBAL Roundtable on Selective Breeding and Genetics
Event details will be released soon.
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18 September (Day 3)
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Registration
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Roundtable “BRICS Fishery Trade Routes: Russia’s Export Potential”
Event details:
Russian seafood exporters have been operating under restrictive measures in unfriendly markets for several years, facing new challenges annually and continuously adapting to them.
In 2026, the United States extended its embargo on Russian fish products. High import tariffs imposed by the United Kingdom and the European Union, as well as other export restrictions, also remain in place.
At the same time, there is still a need to reduce barriers even in friendly markets. Lowering these barriers in BRICS countries is one of the key measures required to support the development of Russian seafood exports.
Topics to discuss:
- Current and target indicators of seafood exports
- Key barriers in external markets today and opportunities for their reduction
- Potential and priorities for developing seafood exports to BRICS countries
- Challenges and opportunities for increasing exports of high value-added seafood products to BRICS countries
- Prospects for developing certification schemes alternative to MSC for BRICS countries
- Development of electronic certification for exports
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Partner Business Breakfast
Traditional partner event of the Global Fishery Forum.
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Official tour of the exposition
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Plenary session “Transition to a Bioeconomy in the Fishery Industry as the Key to Technological Development and Economic Transformation”
Event details will be released soon.
Organizers:
The current version of the business program is preliminary and will be expanded
