News Release

BOSTON (GNB) – Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet is meeting fish and seafood buyers from South Korea and China as part of efforts to expand export markets for New Brunswick products.

Doucet attended meetings with New Brunswick business delegates attending Seafood Expo North America in Boston.

“While the show puts a definite focus on North America, it draws participants from around the world, providing us an opportunity to meet with stakeholders from Asia and Europe as we work to diversify the markets for New Brunswick products,” said Doucet. “We are here to show the world that New Brunswick is big on seafood.”

China and South Korea are markets where New Brunswick seafood producers have experienced sales growth.

A sustained effort to increase the market in China, which has included visits by Premier Brian Gallant and Doucet, has helped seafood exports from New Brunswick increase by 63 per cent between 2016 and 2017 to $75 million.

Seafood exports to South Korea grew 47 per cent in 2017 and are expected to continue to grow in 2018 thanks to the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

New Brunswick delegates to SENA2018 had opportunities to hear from and attend one-on-one meetings with business development expert Peter A. Underwood, a specialist in the Korean market. Underwood has examined the opportunity to export lobster, crab, salmon and other high-quality seafood like caviar and oysters to the Korean market.

Seafood Expo North America, also known as the Boston seafood show, takes place March 11-13, with about 20,000 participants, including buyers and suppliers of fresh, frozen, packaged and value-added seafood products.

The New Brunswick delegation is part of a larger Atlantic pavilion funded in partnership with industry, the Atlantic provinces and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.