Dear Fish Friends —
It’s that time of year again — fish and maritime folk of the Pacific Northwest and beyond are gathering for three days of shop talk at the Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. It starts Wednesday evening the 19th and goes through Saturday. There’s plenty to keep you busy, whether you’re meandering aisles, looking for new gear and equipment, reception hopping, or simply collecting swag and swapping stories. You can’t do it all — we’ve tried, you can’t — so here are some of our favorite stops for this year.
Wednesday Evening: Fishing Communities MUG UP
Now in its second year we can officially call it an annual tradition. Hosted by fishing community groups from around the nation, this is our favorite stop to see friends, meet new ones, and celebrate the communities that make us who we are. A generous collection of door prizes await, along with drink tickets, heavy apps, and laughs on the house. (Scroll down to see details.)
Location: Elysian Fields, Pioneer Square, 542 First Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Time: 5-7pm PT
Thursday-Saturday: Panels
Maybe you need a break from walking the booths, maybe you’re ready for a deep dive into a new-to-you topic. Either way, the stage area is a great place to stop. Here are some of the sessions that we think look particularly interesting.
- Thursday, 11am: Preventing Stability-Related Vessel Disasters: Main Stage. There’s a strong focus on vessel architecture, safety and stability this year. With six experts from AMSEA, Coast Guard and industry, this panel will talk about common causes of instability, and of course prevention.
- Thursday, 2:45pm: Cultivating Change / Community-led Mariculture in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest: Main Stage. We’re big fans of revitalizing coastal economies especially when it comes to shellfish and seaweed farming.
- Thursday, 3:30pm: Happy Hour. This needs no explanation. 😉
- Friday, 1pm: Democracy in American Fisheries and Seafood: Main Stage. The back deck and the policy world couldn’t be more different most of the time, and yet both are critical to strong seafood businesses and communities. This session highlights some of the most important emerging opportunities to advocate for the fisheries future that you want.
- Friday 3:30pm: Galley Stories Podcast LIVE: Main Stage. Who doesn’t like a good fish tale? Join host Mark Caylor and guests for some good old fashioned sea stories. If you miss this one, there’s another Saturday at 11:30am!
Thursday-Saturday: Booths
We won’t even try to pick our favorite booths, not possible. But there are some key things to look for.
- United Fishermen of Alaska Booth #4118. You are certain to find several interesting conversations here, no matter what time you stop by. UFA staff, board, members and Alaska fisheries leaders frequent the space, and you can buy your annual UFA hoodie.
- Washington Maritime Blue #1439. This is a great place to talk myriad waterfront connections. This group has been very active in energizing Washington’s blue economy and waterfront commerce, from sustainable seafood and shellfish to port facilities and technology innovation. Connecting beyond our immediate sector is always an eye opener for us, and helps to build a cohesive vision for America’s working waterfronts.
- Northline Seafoods #951. Yes you’ll find us here. Yes we go way back. And yes you might hear us snort laughing before you see us.
- NEW GEAR & TECH. Not everyone is in it for the window shopping, and some of us dread a sales pitch. But some of our favorite conversations over the years are around the innovations that our mainstay (and emerging) maritime manufacturers are leading. Don’t be afraid to go up to a booth and ask what’s new in their shop — from weather proof gear to chilling tech, this is the place to see what’s new this season.
- SWAG. No you don’t NEED 4 branded USB drives, 10 shiny pens to lose, or enough stickers to redecorate your boat. Just don’t underestimate the utility. One of our favorites to look for is the floaty key chain — perfect for your permit card or anything else you tend to drop overboard. (Speaking for a friend…). This is also the ideal place to collect one-of-a-kind stocking stuffers. As kids we loved the key chain flashlights and “Joe’s Best Fishing Gear” chapsticks we’d find Christmas morning. But in all seriousness, there’s great conversation to be had around the tables. Don’t be afraid to go hunting for treasure and good chatter.
Friday Evening: Highliner Dinner
This event is time set aside to celebrate all manner of leadership in our industry. From steadfast advocacy in the policy world to making innovation leaps on-board, this dinner gives an opportunity to learn more about and toast the people that put in time on and off the deck to make our industry a better place to work, live, and thrive.
We’re particularly excited to celebrate our friend and colleague Erik Velsko as a highliner this year. Erik has long been a champion for independent harvesters, sustainable fisheries policy and now market and quality innovation.
Looking forward to seeing you at a Happy Hour, at a booth, or on the floor! Enjoy your Expo, folks.
Sincerely,
The Ocean Strategies Team
