Glasgow, here we come
For many years, Aquaculture UK, the country’s biggest trade event for the aquaculture sector, has been synonymous with the Highland town of Aviemore. All that is about to change, however, as the city of Glasgow prepares to host the show for the first time in recent years.
Aquaculture UK, to be held this year from June 16-17 at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) by the River Clyde in Glasgow, has moved from its long-term base to Scotland’s biggest city. It will mean, say organisers Diversified Communications, that the event will be able to accommodate the growing demand for exhibition space and provide easy access for exhibitors and visitors.
Event Director Cheri Arvonio says: “We’re hugely grateful to Aviemore for the past few years, but the travel connections and accommodation in Glasgow will be so much easier for everybody.”
The SEC is within easy reach of Glasgow’s international airport, the motorway system and rail connections. The show will occupy the whole of Hall 4, which will be able to accommodate more of the larger exhibits, even those that had to be placed outside at the Aviemore ground.
The biennial show provides a platform for all the latest developments in the industry over the past two years and brings together the entire aquaculture community for two days of business and networking opportunities.
National pavilions from Chile, Canada and Denmark will be back, each with a larger presence than last time.
Joining them, for the first time at Aquaculture UK, will be Norway, with a pavilion providing a platform for aquaculture pioneers such as Aquabyte, Tidal, Optoscale, Hoseth Technology, Aquapredict, OK Marine, Oceanbox, Sentec, Sensor-Globe, Lumic, Aqua-Service and Salsnes Filter. The Norwegian presence is being coordinated by AqKva, organisers of HavExpo in Norway and the new Global Aqua show, due to take place next year in Oslo.
Also new is the Ireland pavilion, hosted by public seafood body Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Enterprise Ireland, and featuring a broad cross-section of suppliers, including Nova Q, Seaquest, Killybegs Cluster, MMG, Celtic Sea Minerals, Ker Group, Mooney Boats, SNG, Aquamonitrix and Impact9.
Aquaculture UK visitors will be able to see first-hand the most up-to-date technology and meet the pioneers shaping the future of fish farming.
Along with behind-the-scenes insights into AI-powered smart farms, alternative farming systems, advances in genetic selection, data capture, optimised feeding, and more, the exhibition offers a chance to engage with forward-thinking companies and scientific organisations transforming the way fish are farmed.
Among this year’s first-time exhibitors are Salar Pursuits, whose Smoltscreen semi-open salmon farming systems protect against lice, jellyfish and algal blooms; OptoScale, which supplies real-time measurement of fish weight and condition with its bioscope technology; and Oceanbox, a multi-talented team delivering ocean intelligence to help reduce aquaculture’s environmental impact.
And in a first for the show, the new Innovation Zone will provide a platform for up-and-coming businesses in the aquaculture space. This year will feature: Edinburgh Innovations / University of Edinburgh; University of Glasgow; Tailorzyme APS; Aqura Systems; ProGnosis Biotech; Nitrogen Sensing Solutions; and Phenomyx.
Conference programme
Also at Aquaculture UK, leading figures from the global aquaculture community will be sharing their insights in the show’s conference programme.
Exploring the themes and challenges at the top of the aquaculture agenda, the conference programme, now unveiled, runs alongside the two-day exhibition from June 16-17 and is free to attend.
The Keynote Theatre, situated within the Scottish Event Campus, will be the venue for an exciting line-up of speakers, with the programme sponsored by the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
The identity of at least one of the keynote speakers will only be determined after the Scottish public cast their votes on 7 May. One thing we can say is that there will be a new Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, as outgoing minister Mairi Gougeon will not be standing in the election.
Helge Adne Lien, Managing Director of Norway’s DNB Bank, will present a banker’s perspective on the seafood sector, with a focus on the risks and opportunities for Scotland’s salmon farmers.
Next up, addressing the impact of farmed salmon on wild stocks, industry veteran Dr Martin Jaffa will question preconceptions in his not-to-be-missed talk, “Are sea lice guilty as charged?”
Other talks will focus on topics such as salmon farming in Chile, monitoring harmful plankton and gill health issues.
Later in the day, a panel of experts will take a deep dive into the future of the sector. Hosted by SAIC (the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Cluster), “Beyond the horizon – the next 25 years of finfish aquaculture” will hear from consultant Anne Anderson, formerly of Scottish Sea Farms; Stewart Graham of Gael Force Group; Mike Spain of Crown Estate Scotland; Pharmaq’s Chris Matthews; and Mark Shotter of Loch Long Salmon.
Running over the two days, scientific developments and research updates, sponsored by UKRI BBSRC, will cover everything from electric-powered aeration, to revolutionising sea lice larvae detection and better breeding for disease resistance. Presentations will be delivered by scientists from Stirling University’s Institute of Aquaculture, the Scottish Association for Marine Sciences, and from the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Bangor.
Day two of the conference will begin with a panel session, hosted by the Young Aquaculture Society, examining social licence, welfare, food security, and the business climate across different farming sectors.
The conference closes with a discussion, led by Mike Berthet of Aquacultured Seafood, on bringing salmon farming to Grimsby, with a pioneering RAS project in England’s seafood capital.
As well as the two-day keynote conference programme, Aquaculture UK will also host the popular Innovation Theatre, a launch pad for fledgling scientific and technical concepts, and sector start-ups.
Presentations will showcase the fast pace of change in the sector, with TidalX looking at integrated robotics and the “autonomous pen”; feed experts delving into the opportunities provided by AI, GM, regenerative agriculture, and more; and Sonardyne explaining its approach to offshore technology for offshore aquaculture.
Also investigating technological acceleration in the sector, SAIC has assembled a panel in partnership with the National Robotarium to consider how fish farmers can harness the potential of robotics, automation, AI and machine learning.
UK Agri-Tech Centre’s Martin Sutcliffe, meanwhile, will lead a discussion on innovation in practice; and Sustainable Solutions will outline waste-to-energy processes conducted at a Scottish hatchery.
Aquaculture Awards
Salmon farmers, shellfish growers and the emerging seaweed industry are all represented in the shortlist for the Aquaculture Awards 2026.
The awards, which celebrate the exceptional achievements of individuals, businesses and organisations in the aquaculture sector over the past year, will take place as part of the Aquaculture UK trade show and conference.
They will be presented on Tuesday, 16 June, at a gala dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the prestigious Hilton Glasgow Hotel.
The organisers, Diversified Communications UK, said that with almost 100 nominations reflecting the wide range of talent across the aquaculture community, the judges had a particularly difficult task selecting finalists and winners this year.
Making the shortlist are aquaculture’s leading lights from Scotland and further afield, recognising all those whose endeavours and enterprise set them apart from their peers.
They include 13 separate categories covering everything from innovation to community initiative, sustainability to animal health and welfare, the best of the suppliers and new start-ups, and with a new award for the aquaculture site of the year.
Cheri Arvonio, Awards Director, said: “The Aquaculture Awards provide an opportunity for us all to get together once a year and champion the hard work and high standards across the sector, both at home and abroad.
“This year has seen an impressive level and quality of entries and we can’t wait to welcome all those in the running, our award sponsors and some 700 guests to the Hilton Glasgow for what will be our biggest awards night yet.”
AQUACULTURE AWARDS 2026 SHORTLIST
RISING STAR
Irene Pozo, Scottish Sea Farms
Leah Macintyre, Bakkafrost Scotland
Sam Laurenson, Blueshell Mussels
Gerred Fuchs, Anpario
Nick Moore, West Coast Seaweed
COLLABORATION
Transforming Salmon Health Through Precision Vaccine Development: Ridgeway Biologicals (Ceva Animal Health) and Mowi Scotland
Applecross Sustainability Project: Bakkafrost Scotland, The Applecross Trust, Applecross Community Council, Highland Council and Foster Turner
The BactMetBar Project: Scottish Association for Marine Science, UHI, Salmon Scotland, Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany, Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms, and SEPA
Advancing Gill Health and Genomic Resilience in Scottish Salmon Farming: Benchmark Genetics and the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture
INNOVATION
WellFish Tech: Stevie AI Agent Architecture
Akvapartner: Solar Cell Automat
Aquabyte: All in one 360-degree view monitoring system
Tritonia Scientific: Georeferenced 3D photogrammetry and digital seabed modelling
SAMS Enterprise: eDNA2IQI Software Platform
SUSTAINABILITY
Bakkafrost Scotland: Pyrolosis Unit
Requip Services: Steel Wire Rope Repurposing
Akvapartner: Solar Feeder
COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
Regal Springs Tilapia: Community-led conservation and restoration efforts in Mexico
Mowi: Mowi Disability Shinty Festival
South West Mull and Iona Development (SWMID): First community-owned and community-sanctioned seaweed farm in Scotland
ANIMAL HEALTH & WELFARE
Scottish Sea Farms: Lerwick plankton monitoring programme
Matthijs Metselaar, Aquatic Vets
Ictiobiotic: IKA Forte
SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
Northern Light Consulting
Nexus Aquaculture
MoROV Subsea Solutions
ReQuip Services
BEST NEW START-UP
Blue Food Performance
Nexus Aquaculture
Phoenix Marine Exports
MoROV Subsea Solutions
AQUACULTURE SITE OF THE YEAR
Bakkafrost Scotland: Applecross Site
Fischzucht Moser
Mowi Scotland: Loch Etive
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
Matthijs Metselaar, Aquatic Vets
Fiona McCauley, Salmon Scotland
Alastair Barge, Otter Ferry Seafish
UNSUNG HERO
Winner announced at the awards dinner
FARMER OF THE YEAR
Hugh MacKinnon, Mowi Scotland
John Henderson, Scottish Sea Farms
James Perlich, Bakkafrost Scotland
JUDGES’ SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
Winner to be announced at the awards dinner
With more than 250 exhibitors from over 20 countries already signed up, Aquaculture UK, to be held from 16-17 June at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), is expected to attract record crowds from across the country and around the world.
Fish Farmer is a media sponsor of Aquaculture UK. Look out for us at Stand A36.
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Aquaculture UK 2026
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