Return visit booked for Team Scotland at Aqua Nor

Scotland’s presence at the world’s biggest aquaculture trade show was confirmed yesterday, when it was announced that Highlands and Islands Enterprise has secured funding for a Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor 2025.

The award of up to £178,000 for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to support the Pavilion comes from the Scottish Government’s Marine Scotland Fund.

HIE is now asking aquaculture companies and suppliers to register their interest in attending as part of the pavilion or as part of a wider Scottish delegation.

The next Aqua Nor event will take place in Trondheim, Norway, from 19-21 August 2025. The Scottish presence at the event provides an opportunity for businesses to showcase innovations and expertise, products and services to a global audience.

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

First held in 1979, all the world’s major aquaculture nations attend. The three-day event is estimated to draw around 25,000 visitors from more than 75 nations.

A Scottish Pavilion jointly hosted by HIE and SAIC, the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre, was present at the show in 2023. Feedback from that event has been excellent, said HIE, with exhibitors reporting encouraging levels of interest generated by the collective presence.

In 2023 the Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor hosted 18 companies. The post-event evaluation pointed towards its success with three-quarters (76%) of exhibitors saying they expect to see an increase in turnover over the next three years as a result of attending Aqua Nor. Almost all (94%) of the exhibitors said the event met or exceeded expectations. The full report is available on the HIE website.

Elaine Jamieson, head of life sciences and blue economy at HIE, said: “HIE is delighted to be hosting the Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor 2025 after the success in 2023. The pavilion is in a very strong position to showcase the innovation, entrepreneurship, products and services that come from Scotland. We know Aqua Nor is the premier meeting place for the global aquaculture industry and the pavilion will support businesses to make new connections and explore opportunities for trading and collaborating internationally.”

HIE is inviting companies interested in being part of the Scottish delegation to register their interest via the HIE website.