France’s leading fishing industry trade event opens its doors for the 16th time this week. Held at the Parc des Expositions in Lorient Bretagne Sud, the event is also celebrating 30 years of supporting the fishing industry as 200 exhibitors are expected to bring 6000 visitors to Lorient for three days of meetings, discussion and innovation.
The 2025 event focuses on the challenges facing the sector, from energy transitions to the attractiveness of careers. The programme offers highlights focused on innovation, intergenerational dialogue, and social concerns.
For the first time, a discussion will be dedicated to seafarers’ mental health and well-being. This is based on the presentation of the Pechkeur project by the Glaz Océan association and will bring together support and prevention stakeholders to provide concrete solutions.
Sessions entitled Fishing: a matter for young people!, led by the Sea to Sea agency, aim to highlight the concerns of pupils and students from the Guilvinec Maritime High School, the Rennes-Angers Agricultural Institute, and the University of South Brittany. The future of trawling, new technologies, reconciling ecology and fisheries management, the jobs and practices of tomorrow, and issues related to the development of offshore wind turbines are all subjects that trigger discussion.
The Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique will host daily Innovation Pitch sessions, providing a showcase for companies presenting their projects promoting decarbonisation, traceability, marine waste recovery, alternative bait, and more. These initiatives demonstrate a dynamic, inventive industry that is firmly committed to the sea.
A European debate will focus on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy on 17th October.
