(SENA) wasn't held in 2020 and 2021. It finally returned this year, although significantly smaller than usual. I'm happy that it returned, as this is one of my favorite food events of the year, three days of seafood immersion, seeking stories about the latest news and information concerning the seafood industry.
SENA is the largest seafood trade event in North America, and in prior years it continually broke records on both its exhibitor size and attendance. In 2019, there were over 1349 exhibitors, representing 49 different countries, spread out over 256,690 square feet in exhibit space. However, this year, as expected due to pandemic issues, the event was much smaller. There were only about 830 exhibitors, about one-third less than usual, spread out over 180,000 square-feet of exhibit space. Some of the space that would normally be taken by exhibitors was taken over by food vendors, selling sandwiches, tacos, and more.
Attendance is normally over 20,000 people, but I haven't found attendance figures for this year, though it was clearly much smaller than previous years. The attendees are from countries all over the world, making the Expo a truly international event. It's an excellent example of the interconnectedness of our world, of how we are really one vast community with shared interests. When you consider the oceans occupy about 71% of the world's surface, it's easy to understand how it unites us. Plus, we also have to consider all the freshwater rivers, lakes, and waterways which produce seafood.
Sunday is usually the busiest day at the Expo, but it seemed much more manageable this year, as in previous years it can get a little crowded walking around, especially when people sometimes stop in the middle of the aisle to chat with others. Walking up and down the myriad aisles of exhibitors at the Expo is also great exercise. And if you get tired, the Expo has several sections where you can sit and recharge your electronics.
Although masks weren't mandated for SENA, a significant number of exhibitors and attendees still wore masks. There was also plenty of hand sanitizer available throughout the exhibit hall. Social distancing is obviously very difficult at such a large event, so masks were the main option for added protection.
The main events of the Seafood Expo occur each year over the course of three days, from Sunday to Tuesday, over a total period of 19 hours. However, there are a few other events that occur before and after the normal hours of the Expo, such as receptions and coffee hours. This year, the program included over 28 conference sessions, the
14th Annual Oyster Shucking Competition, the
Seafood Excellence Awards, and much more.
There's something for everyone. However, you certainly can't attend every SENA event, so you need to pick and choose which you most desire to attend, which events fit your specific interests. However, it's always cool to venture beyond your usual interests and learn about something new. Over the years, I've learned plenty about seafood, and I'm always trying to further my education in this regard.
The three-day event also had an extensive conference program, offering more than 28 sessions, on a wide variety of seafood topics. For example, the keynote address concerned an “Economic Outlook for 2022,” and was given by Megan Greene, a global economist, Financial Times columnist, and senior fellow for the Harvard Kennedy School. Some of the other conference sessions included: Why Seafood Quality is Critical, Finding the Next Generation of Diverse Seafood Talent, Transforming Aquaculture, and Consumer Insights into How & Why They Shop Seafood. I always attend at least a couple of these sessions, which are generally informative and fascinating.
Each year at SENA, there's a competition held for the
Best New Foodservice Product and
Best New Retail Product. The finalists’ products are displayed in the
New Product Showcase and during the course of the event, the products will be judged, "
based on their uniqueness and appropriateness to the market, taste profile, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value and originality." The winner this year included:
Best New Retail Product to
Bakkafrost--Native Hebridean Smoked Scottish Salmon Side and
Best New Foodservice Product to
DOM International Limited – DOM Reserve Salmon Poke.
SENA is a food event which I've promoted and recommended year after year. Besides all the delectable seafood samples, you'll also find ample fodder for many different story ideas. SENA touches on some of the most important issues facing our world, from sustainability to climate change. Every local writer who has any interest in seafood, sustainability, health, recipes, or food in general, should attend this Expo.
However, few local writers attend SENA and those who do commonly write only a single article about it. These articles are often very basic, touching only on some of the most general issues about the Expo. Even the major local newspapers often ignore SENA, at best printing a single article about it, a basic overview lacking any depth. This year, it seems that neither the Boston Herald nor the Boston Globe have published pieces about SENA. Why is SENA so often ignored in local media coverage? It's an embarrassment that such an important event receives so little local press.
As I've said before, this all needs to change. We need more local writers to attend SENA and delve more deeply into the myriad issues of the seafood industry. We need more local writers to help promote seafood consumption and sustainability. We need more local writers to contribute to the discussion of these vital issues. We need the print media to get more involved too. The more positive articles about seafood, the better for all of us. There's too much negativity in the media about seafood consumption and more positive articles need to set the record straight.
It should be obvious that the primary element of SENA is commerce, the buying and selling of seafood-related products and services. Nearly all of the exhibitors are there to make money while most of the attendees are there to spend money. Attendees are seeking seafood, both fresh and frozen, as well as various processed seafood products, from crab cakes to salmon bacon. Others are there to buy processing equipment, cooking supplies, packaging machinery, labeling equipment, conveyors, and much more. Still others are seeking services, from food safety to third party certification. Much of this commerce is international, with exhibitors and attendees from all over the world, trying to make deals. It's business and money.
What may not seem obvious is that SENA is not really about seafood. Despite the many thousand pounds of seafood being showcased at the Expo, it's merely a means to an end. SENA is actually about people and community. Seafood is only food, intended to provide sustenance and nutrition to people, and that is understood, though largely unspoken, by the exhibitors and attendees. SENA is much more about fishermen and fish farmers, distributors and retailers, inventors and importers. It is about all of the people involved in the seafood industry, and their economic well being. It is about the global economy as the seafood industry is truly international and affects people all across the world.
Concerns about seafood sustainability ultimately come down to the fate of people, whether future generations will have enough food to survive, and whether they will live in a clean world, with adequate resources. The fate of the oceans and the fish directly relates to the fate of mankind. Seafood sustainability is also about the survival of fishermen, that they can make a sufficient income to survive and thrive. When you understand that SENA is all about people, then the issues take on an even greater significance. We need to talk about this more, to ensure that everyone understands people are the primary concern. It is our future and nothing is more important than that.
Although SENA involves many serious and vital issues, it also has an element of fun, as well as plenty of tasty seafood samples. SENA is a showcase for new seafood products as well as place to display other seafood products which may have a storied history, such as Maine Lobster. Though it is common to find for sampling a variety of simple, fried seafoods, there are also some chefs who elevate their offerings, providing more interesting and delicious dishes. This year, because of pandemic issues, there were far less seafood samples available.
I'll be posting additional articles about SENA in the near future, highlighting some of the items which especially caught my attention this year.
Tidal Tots, Dutch Oysters, Fried Fish Skins, and more.
Finally, I want to highlight that SENA returns next year, March 12-14, 2023, and I strongly encourage all local writers to mark those dates down on their calendar and plan to attend next year. I suspect that SENA will return to close to pre-pandemic levels next year. The seafood industry needs more champions to promote its many positive aspects and I call on local writers to step up and become one of those needed champions.
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