Page 9: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 1991)

Fish Expo '91

Largest Commercial Fishing Show Scheduled For Seattle, October 17-20

The largest U.S. commercial fishing industry trade show and exposition and one of the largest in the world will be held at the Seattle Center in Seattle, Wash., from October 17 to 20, 1991.

Called Fish Expo, the annual trade show for commercial fisher- men is now in its 25th year. The show site alternates between the

East Coast and the West Coast, with

Seattle being the location in the odd- numbered years and Boston in the even-numbered years. Next year,

National Fishermen Expositions plans to hold Fish Expo at the

Bayside Expo Center in Boston,

Mass., from October 15 to 17, 1992.

In Seattle, there will be four ex- hibit halls showcasing nearly 1,000 booths featuring the latest in com- mercial fishing equipment and elec- tronics specifically designed for the commercial fisherman. Among the products and services on exhibit will be fish and workboat builders and repairers, marine diesel and gaso- line engines, navigation and com- munication equipment, deck ma- chinery, refrigeration equipment, financial services, insurance, etc.

PHOTO: Lew Van De Mark, MARCO

October, 1991

Fish Expo is especially designed for commercial fishermen from around the world. More than 18,000 buyers will attend, ranging from one-man operations to multimillion- dollar companies coming to pur- chase new equipment for their or- ganization. They include vessel owners, captains, deckhands, sea- food processors, etc.

A series of in-depth seminars will be presented at the show as well.

The seminars, which are free to Fish

Expo attendees, will focus on envi- ronmental and legislative changes that affect the commercial fisher- man.

On Thursday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a seminar will be presented on "Troubleshooting

Small Boat Refrigeration." Since more commercial boats carry chill- ers, freezers, and other quality con- trol refrigeration systems to in- crease fishermen's profits and bring a quality product to market, it is important to keep them running.

This seminar will show you how.

At 2-3:30 p.m. on the same day, a seminar entitled "The Share Quota

Era" will examine the issue of fed- eral fisheries as they are guided toward vested ownership by share quotas. This seminar will focus on what has worked in other countries trying such systems and what varia- tions and pitfalls fishermen in the

U.S. might encounter.

On October 18, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, "Safety at Sea: The New Regs" will be presented. This seminar will provide practical advice on living with the new Coast Guard regula- tions on fishing vessel inspection, crew licensing and other safety rules.

At 12:30-2 p.m., on October 18, a "Coast Guard Forum" will be pre- sented. The Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard and other Coast

Guard representatives will field questions from fishermen.

At 2:30-4:30 p.m. on the same afternoon, the seminar "What Now for Salmon Markets?" will be held.

With salmon markets collapsing in 1991, many Pacific Coast fishermen were left "holding the bag." This session will focus on the state of the market and efforts to develop alter- native product forums. "Cooperative Boat Building" on

Saturday, October 19, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will provide practical tips for fishermen who are consider- ing teaming up with an established yard to work on all or part of a new boat.

On the lighter side, at 2-3:30 p.m., "Fish is Food: Creativity in the

Kitchen" will be presented. A well- known gourmet cook and a panel of gastronomic experts will discuss sea- food.

One of the most well-attended and practical seminars will be pre- sented on October 20, at 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon, "Troubleshooting Ma- rine Diesels." The session will pro- vide a short course in the inner work- ings of marine diesels, with useful tips for maintenance and repair.

Other seminars on October 20 will include "What Happened To Cali- fornia Gillnetters? Fishermen, Ma- rine Mammals and Endangered Spe- cies in the 1990s" at 12:30-2 p.m,. and "Habitat is Where It's At" from 2:30-4 p.m., which will focus on a review of ways fishermen can be- come active participants in insuring the preservation and restoration of oceanic, coastal zone and riparian habitat.

For further information on attend- ing the Fish Expo Show, contact:

National Fishermen Expositions, 5

Milk Street, P.O. Box 7437 DTS,

Portland, Maine 04112;or telephone: (207) 772-3005. 11