AquaFarm 2027: the world of “blue food” comes together in Pordenone for its tenth anniversary

An edition that opens the next chapter for a supply chain that is becoming increasingly important to food security, innovation and sustainability.

PORDENONE, MI, ITALY, October 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In 2017 Pordenone saw the launch of a project that was unique in Europe: an international exhibition and conference dedicated entirely to the sustainable production of aquatic foods. Initially focused on the aquaculture economy, the event later expanded to include shellfish farming, seaweed farming and small-scale and commercial fishing: a complex supply chain that is strategic to food security in the Mediterranean region, but that until then had lacked a permanent forum for discussion at the continental level.

Ten years on, AquaFarm is preparing for its tenth edition in a profoundly changed landscape. According to the latest FAO figures, global fisheries and aquaculture production reached a turning point in 2024, peaking at 235 million tonnes of aquatic animals and algae. Aquatic animal production reached 195 million tonnes and for the first time aquaculture accounted for 53%, overtaking capture fisheries as the leading source of production.

An increasingly strategic supply chain
This figure marks a structural shift for the future of aquatic foods, which are playing a growing role in global nutrition: in 2023 they supplied at least 20% of the animal protein available to more than 40% of the world’s population.

This is the vision of the FAO’s Blue Transformation: sustainable aquaculture, responsible fisheries management and more efficient, inclusive, resilient value chains. These are the same priorities on which AquaFarm is building its position in Europe, bringing together businesses, researchers, institutions and operators across the supply chain.

This is not merely a sector-specific issue. The sustainable production of aquatic foods now lies at the heart of the global food agenda. Indeed, with the world’s population growing and marine fishery resources under increasing pressure, leading international organisations, spearheaded by the FAO, regard sustainable aquaculture and responsible fishing as strategic means of contributing to food security in the decades ahead.

In Europe this transformation is intertwined with the sector’s competitiveness, security of supply and dependence on foreign markets. According to the latest edition of The EU Fish Market, in 2024 the European Union imported 5.9 million tonnes of fishery and aquaculture products worth 29.9 billion euros, while the sector’s trade deficit stood at 21.61 billion euros. In the same year European household spending on fishery and aquaculture products reached 62.8 billion euros, up 4% from 2023, against a backdrop still marked by high prices and declining household consumption of fresh fish.

Against this backdrop, the Euro-Mediterranean region plays a particularly important role. According to the FAO-GFCM, combined marine fisheries and marine and brackish-water aquaculture production in the Mediterranean and Black Sea exceeds 2 million tonnes and generates 21.5 billion dollars across the supply chain. Turkey and Greece are among the region’s leading aquaculture hubs, while the Adriatic continues to play a strategic role in fishing, marine aquaculture and shellfish farming, with Croatia, Slovenia and Italy forming markets with natural links to the Pordenone platform.

AquaFarm, from Pordenone to Europe
Over ten editions AquaFarm has built something more than a trade fair: a lasting community of operators, businesses, researchers and institutions that draws around 3,000 professionals to Pordenone each year. International attendees account for over 25% of the total and a quarter of exhibitors come from EU and non-EU countries. Over the years, the programme – around 30 events spanning conferences, technical workshops and industry forums – hosted institutional representatives ranging from the European Commission to the FAO. The event is organised in partnership with the Italian Fish Farmers Association (API) and the Mediterranean Aquaculture Association (AMA), two organisations whose involvement ensures its firm roots in the supply chain and its scientific credibility.

On 17 and 18 February 2027 AquaFarm will therefore have a clear ambition: to strengthen its international profile and establish itself as a European reference point for the entire sustainable fisheries supply chain. It will be more than It will be more than a trade fair: it will be a forum for dialogue for a sector expected to grow, innovate and make its sustainability measurable.

Supported by ICE Agenzia - Italian Trade Agency, the 2027 edition will focus on the major trends reshaping the sector: technological innovation, animal health and well-being, product quality, climate adaptation, new farming models, greater use of algae, the sustainability of commercial and small-scale fishing.

Federica Ielapi
Tellers