2026 Congress
NEXT EDITION
5TH OCTOBER 2026
Conxemar FAO MAPA International Congress
Smart blue leadership
Efficiency, intelligence and global standards for a committed industry
The 14th edition of the Conxemar FAO MAPA International Congress will bring together some of the world’s leading experts to examine the key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of aquatic food products.
International trade, artificial intelligence, digital traceability, consumer trends, the blue economy, and innovation will be at the heart of a high-level programme featuring an exclusive interview with Dr. María Neira, one of the world’s most influential voices in public health and environmental sustainability.
An essential meeting point for anticipating industry transformations and driving the sector’s transition towards a more sustainable future.
Programme
08:30 | Doors open for accreditation
09:00 | Start
09:15 | Institutional Opening
10:00 – 10:50 | Global Level Playing Field | Achieving a Sustainable Balance
We will explore how to achieve fairer and more sustainable international trade in aquatic products, analysing the relationships between major producing and consuming blocs.
Moderator
Alberto Martín
Global Head of Fisheries in Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Speakers
Jingjie Chu
Senior Economist for Environment, Natural Resources and the Blue Economy. Global Environment Department, World Bank.
Miguel Bernal
Executive Secretary of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, FAO.
Audun Lem
Chair of the FiTI International Board
Teofilus Nghitila
Executive Director, Water and Marine Resources Department, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Namibia.
10:50 – 11:40 | AI and Digital Traceability | A Transformation Underway
We will analyse how artificial intelligence, advanced traceability and automation are transforming the seafood and aquaculture industry, improving efficiency, regulatory compliance, sustainability and consumer trust.
Moderator
Xosé Luís Vilela
Director of the Santiago Rey Fernández-Latorre Foundation
Speakers
Mark Kaplan
Director of Marketing, Wholechain. Responsible for the Better Food Future initiative, supporting the UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition. Board Member of FishWise.org.
Kevin Edwards
Vice President, Global Market Development, Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability, GDST.
Carolina Najar
Director of Food Market at AZTI, Marine and Food Research Centre.
Carmen do Sacramento Neto
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Republic of Angola
11:40 – 12:10 | Coffee Break
12:10 – 13:00 | Seafood Consumer Habits and Trends | A Snapshot of the Market and the Consumer
We will decode the profiles of today’s seafood consumers and what drives their decisions, and learn how consumers are distributed globally.
Moderator
María Feijóo
Reporter at Undercurrent
Speakers
Shakuntala Thilsted
Senior Nutrition Expert at CGIAR, a global research alliance. Recipient of the 2021 World Food Prize, World Food Prize Foundation.
Javier Iglesias
Market research and data analysis expert.
Lluis Miret
Professor of Applied Economics at Universitat Politècnica de València. Member of the Research Institute for Integrated Coastal Zone Management, IGIC.
Machiel Kommers
Representative of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture in Spain. Counsellor for Agriculture, Nature and Food for Spain and Portugal.
13:00 – 13:45 | Opportunities and Challenges of the Seafood Industry | The Innovation Driving the Future of the Sector
We will discover how innovation, new market demands, the potential of seaweed and the blue economy are redefining the future of seafood products.
Moderator
Lara Graña
Editor-in-Chief of the Faro de Vigo
Speakers
Julie Maguire
Research Director at Bantry Marine Research Station, BMRS.
Clara Duque
Director of Private-Label Food Purchasing at Alcampo.
Gemma Meermans Matainaho
Director of INFOFISH, an intergovernmental organisation specialising in market information and technical advisory services on fisheries products in the Asia-Pacific region.
13:45 – 15:00 | Lunch Break
15:00 – 16:00 | One to One Interview: Dr María Neira
As a new feature this year, the Conxemar FAO MAPA International Congress includes an in-depth interview with a prominent international figure not strictly linked to the seafood industry: Dr María Neira will share her experience as one of the most renowned international leaders in public health and the environment.
Interviewee
Dr María Neira
As Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization (WHO), she drove the inclusion of environmental and climate risks in the global health agenda.
16:00 | Conclusions
16:20 | Closing
Speakers
registration
Congress Attendees
Press
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LOCATION
SEDE AFUNDACIÓN VIGO
C/ Policarpo Sanz, 24-26
Vigo, 36203 (Pontevedra)
España
