India to host World Seafood Congress 2026 in Chennai

Key facts

• Chennai will host the World Seafood Congress (WSC) 2026, marking India’s first time hosting the biennial forum.
• The Congress is jointly organised by the International Association of Fish Inspectors (IAFI), PDA Ventures, and the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad.
• Co-organisers include the Department of Fisheries with support from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and NITI Aayog – Government of India.
• Technical partners are the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and WorldFish.
• Supporting industry bodies include Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Foundation for Aquaculture Innovation & Technology Transfer (FAITT), Indian Marine Ingredients Association (IMIA), and National Institute of Fisheries Post Harvest Technology and Training (NIFPHATT).
• The inaugural session will feature addresses from Dr Manuel Barange (FAO), Mr Alejandro Rivera Rojas (UNIDO), Dr Jörn O Schmidt (WorldFish), Dr K N Raghavan (SEAI), Mr G Pawan Kumar (SEAI), Mr Dodda Venkata Swamy (MPEDA), and Dr Ian Goulding (IAFI).
• Keynote address titled 'Netting Aqua Potentials for Nutrition Security and Economic Prosperity' will be delivered by Dr Tarun Shridhar, Former Secretary of Fisheries and Chairman of the WSC 2026 International Advisory Committee.
• The Congress agenda includes plenary sessions, expert panels, technical workshops, and thematic discussions on sustainable seafood trade, inspection standards, market access, and inclusive growth.
• The WSC 2026 exhibition will showcase innovations in processing, packaging, quality control, logistics, certification, digital systems, and cold-chain solutions.
• Winners of the 2026 Peter Howgate Award are Ms Harini Ravi from the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship, India, and Ms Riza Jane Banicod from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Republic of the Philippines.