Canada’s Seafood Economy: Trade, Tariffs, and Opportunity
FCC’s Annual Conference
October 7th & 8th, 2026
Delta Hotel
Ottawa, ON
Canada’s Best and Largest Fish and Seafood Event is Back!
Considered to be one of the most important industry gatherings – this exclusive conference brings together over 200 delegates from across the Canadian fisheries and seafood sector, including:
- Canadian fish harvesters, processors
- Seafood industry leaders
- Government officials, and
- Other key stakeholders and policy influencers
This is the event for Canada’s $9B seafood industry, don’t miss this unparalleled opportunity to network, learn and position your company at the heart of this vital industry. Here’s where you get to be seen and heard, where relationships are forged and where your brand can shine in front of the exact audience you need to reach.
We look forward to seeing you in Ottawa in October.
The full schedule for the Conference will be posted once available – stay tuned for updates!
Sponsoring the 2026 FCC Conference
Don’t miss this unparalleled opportunity to position your company at the heart of this vital Canadian industry.
This is where you get seen and heard, where relationships are forged, and your brand can shine in front of the exact audience you need to reach.
Your sponsorship demonstrates leadership, continued support and commitment for this important annual industry event. Don’t forget to send this to your supplier community and let them know about this exclusive, high-impact event!
Contact Gayle McClelland, Conference Coordinator at Fisheries Council of Canada, at info@fisheriescouncil.ca to discuss our amazing sponsorship opportunities!
Register Today to Secure Your Spot
Join leaders from across Canada’s fish and seafood sector at this year’s Annual Conference. Reserve your place now to connect, learn, and shape the future of our industry together.
2026 Speakers
*Subject to change
Steve Verheul
Principal with GT & Company
Mr. Steve Verheul is a Principal with GT and Company Executive Advisors as well as President of Steve Verheul Consulting Inc. He serves as a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, co-chairs the Coalition for North American Trade, and is a Fellow of the Public Policy Forum. Previously, Mr. Verheul held a number of senior level positions in the Government of Canada, including: Chief Trade Negotiator and Assistant Deputy Minister of the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch at Global AƯairs Canada; Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the Canada-US-Mexico Trade Agreement (CUSMA); and Chief negotiator for negotiations between Canada and the European Union for the creation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. From 1989 to 2009, Mr. Verheul worked in international trade policy at Agriculture and AgriFood Canada and was Canada’s Chief Agriculture Negotiator (2003 to 2009) for international trade negotiations on agriculture.
Kristina Farrell
Chief Executive Officer, Food and Beverage Canada
Kristina Farrell is the Chief Executive Officer of Food and Beverage Canada (FBC-ABC), the national association representing Canada’s domestic food and beverage manufacturing industry. Before joining FBC-ABC, she worked in government (Global Affairs Canada), as well as in government relations and public affairs, where she supported the advocacy efforts of several companies and organizations in the Canadian agri-food sector. Kristina was included in The Hill Times Top 100 Lobbyists list for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
John Sackton
President, Seafood Datasearch
John Sackton is Founder of SeafoodNews.com, and President of Seafood Datasearch. He has been in the seafood industry for more than 45 years. During his 20 years as publisher of SeafoodNews he wrote daily news stories and market analysis on crab, lobster, shrimp, cod, pollock, salmon and other products. He has worked with both harvesters and processors on market outlooks in Alaska, Newfoundland, Maritime Canada, and the US West Coast. He has been giving an annual overview of US seafood markets to the FCC for more than fifteen years. He retired as Editor of SeafoodNews in 2019 but has continued writing his monthly opinion and commentary column: The Winding Glass.
Derek Nighbor
President and CEO Forest Products Association of Canada
Derek has been President and CEO at FPAC since March 2016.
As the son and grandson of pulp & paper workers in the Ottawa Valley, he is proud to bring the voice of Canada’s forest products sector and its workers, families, and communities to national and international policy and decision-making tables.
Prior to joining FPAC, Derek served for 7 years as Senior Vice President with Food & Consumer Products of Canada, the country’s leading voice for consumer goods manufacturers like Coca-Cola, McCains, Nestle, and Procter & Gamble.
Derek was Senior Vice President of Public Affairs with Retail Council of Canada (RCC) representing over 45,000 retail storefronts across Canada, including leading retailers like Canadian Tire, Walmart Canada, Home Depot, and Home Hardware.
From 2003 to 2005, Derek served as Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Minister of Consumer and Business Services.
In 2022, Derek was appointed by his colleagues at the International Council of Forest & Paper Associations (ICFPA) to be the global industry and business representative to the United Nations Forum on Forests. He also currently represents Canada’s forest sector at the UN Food & Agriculture Organization’s Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries (ACSFI) as well as on the Initiative on Advancing Sustainable Forest-based Bioeconomy Approaches, currently being led by the Government of Austria.
Tackling the Issues That
Matter Most
This year’s theme addresses the critical challenges of trade uncertainty, tariff issues, and unpredictable market conditions facing the Canadian fish and seafood industry.
Network
200+ of Canada’s Fish and Seafood industry leaders, decision makers and stakeholders.
Learn
Attend sessions led by some of the industry’s best speakers and thought leaders.
Enjoy
Dine on some of the best seafood Canada has to offer!
Attendance Rates
| Conference Registration Rates* | Early Bird (before Aug. 15th) | Regular (after Aug. 15th) |
|---|---|---|
| Member | $799 | $899 |
| Non-Member | $1199 | **$1299 **Upgrade to $2,000 to become a Supporting Sponsor! (includes conference pass) |
| Government | $349 | $399 |
| Special Sector Association Member | $598 | 699 |
| Academia & NGOs | $349 | $399 |
| Welcoming Network Reception | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members, spouses, academia | $99 | $149 |
| Non-Member | $349 | $399 |
| Government | No Charge | No Charge |
| Closing Reception & Gala Dinner | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members, spouses, academia | $149 | $199 |
| Non-Member | $349 | $399 |
*Plus taxes and service charges
This year’s conference will take place at the Delta Ottawa City Centre hotel. A block of rooms have been set aside for conference delegates. Please use the link here to book your room. All booking must be done by September 11, 2026.