Scottish Pavilion confirmed for Aqua Nor 2023

Producers and suppliers from Scotland will be represented next year with a dedicated pavilion at Aqua Nor, the largest trade show for aquaculture, for the first time since 2017.

Aqua Nor, a major expo and conference, will be taking place in Trondheim, Norway over 22-24 August next year. The “Team Scotland” presence is being co-ordinated by the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), state agencies Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Marine Scotland as well as trade body Salmon Scotland.

Scottish businesses active in the aquaculture supply chain are invited to join the pavilion and take advantage of the chance to be part of the collaborative delegation.

Businesses will have the option of reserving space in the pavilion or using facilities such as presentation facilities or meeting rooms, or displaying brochures ad other marketing materials. Costs are still to be confirmed.

Aqua Nor is the world’s largest aquaculture technology exhibition, bringing together the latest products, processes and services across finfish, shellfish and, increasingly, seaweed species.

Next year’s trade show will be the first to take place again fully in-person since the Covid-19 pandemic and with international travel back on the agenda, significantly more delegates are expected in 2023. The three-day event is estimated to draw around 25,000 visitors from more than 75 nations.

Aqua Nor takes place every two years. A hybrid version of the three-day event in 2021 attracted more than 16,500 visitors and a further 8,000 participants online. A number of countries, including the UK, were still at that time on a Covid “red list”, however, making travel to Norway all but impossible.

The Scottish collective represents the first official pavilion from the country at Aqua Nor since 2017. Feedback from exhibitors who joined the previous Team Scotland stand was overwhelmingly positive, reporting encouraging levels of interest generated by the collective presence.

At last year’s event, Scotland was represented through a digital exhibition and, in 2019, SAIC hosted a separate stand and events on behalf of its network, alongside a Scottish supply chain workshop hosted by Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing.

Heather Jones, CEO of SAIC, said: “We have a wealth of expertise and world-class research underpinning the success of Scotland’s aquaculture sector and Aqua Nor gives us a valuable opportunity to bring that to a global audience. The pavilion gives companies of all sizes a chance to use facilities and space to host meetings and make valuable connections. We’re looking forward to attending in person again now that travel is less restricted, and we’re pleased to be able to extend this opportunity to everyone involved in Scottish aquaculture.”

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of Salmon Scotland, added: “The return of the Scottish pavilion to Aqua Nor is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the immense potential of Scotland’s blue economy.

Businesses are invited to register their interest in the Scottish Pavilion online at www.hie.co.uk/our-region/our-growth-sectors/life-sciences/aqua-nor-2023-form/

Piper Ruaraidh Edwards at the Gael Force reception, Aqua Nor 2019