Don't miss the opportunity to participate in the largest aquaculture event in the Southern Hemisphere!
Don't miss the opportunity to participate in the largest aquaculture event in the Southern Hemisphere!
From March 24 to 26, Aquasur 2026 will transform southern Chile into the global epicenter of aquaculture. Discover the innovations, international agreements, and sustainability initiatives that will shape the future of the industry at the sector’s most important trade fair.
The global aquaculture industry will once again focus on the Los Lagos Region between March 24 and 26, 2026. These are the dates for Aquasur 2026, the leading aquaculture and fisheries trade show in the Southern Hemisphere.
The thirteenth edition of this exhibition will take place in a 20,000-square-meter venue located at kilometer 1,009 of Route 5 South. Organized by FISA, part of the French group GL events, the exhibition will bring together companies from Chile and around the world, government officials, academics, and entrepreneurs to explore the cutting-edge technology of an increasingly efficient and environmentally responsible aquaculture industry.
Sustainability, Mobility, and Recommendations for Visitors
In line with its focus on sustainability, Aquasur 2026 will implement a large-scale recycling campaign in partnership with the company Tresol. This campaign aims to promote the circular economy and responsible waste management throughout the three days of the exhibition.
The organization also defined a Comprehensive Mobility Plan in coordination with the Los Lagos Concession Company, the Regional Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, the Directorate of Roads, the Chilean National Police (Carabineros de Chile), the Directorate of Concessions, and the municipalities of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, among other agencies.
The plan, in addition to prioritizing the use of shared transportation, includes a satellite parking lot in Puerto Montt and will provide free shuttle buses and transfers from strategic points in Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas, and El Tepual Airport. It also includes an agreement with a private transportation app that will offer promotional codes to facilitate visitor travel. However, for those who choose to use private vehicles, the venue will have more than 2,500 parking spaces available.
Furthermore, the organization recommends that attendees plan their visit in advance, obtain their accreditation and entry QR code beforehand, review the official Congress program, coordinate their meeting schedules, and consider the typical weather conditions of southern Chile when planning their stay and travel arrangements.
An International Platform for Aquaculture
The fair is held every two years in the Los Lagos Region, the country’s main aquaculture production center, and has established itself as the largest international meeting point for the sector in this part of the world. Aquasur 2026 expects to welcome thousands of professionals to a venue that, in addition to its exhibition space, will offer complementary services designed for the operation of a large-scale event.
The exhibition will cover the entire aquaculture value chain, with an emphasis on salmon farming, mussel farming, and other marine species, including feed and nutrition suppliers, genetics and eggs, water treatment and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), animal health and welfare, waste management solutions, engineering and shipbuilding, specialized services, and energy efficiency. In addition, companies from 34 countries will participate, including Norway and Denmark, leaders in global salmon farming. alongside companies from Germany, Canada, South Korea, Spain, the United States, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland, reinforcing the international character of the event.
Regional Leadership and Institutional Support
The honorary president of Aquasur 2026 will be the Governor of the Los Lagos Region, Alejandro Santana Tirachini, who has focused his administration on boosting strategic productive sectors in southern Chile, with a special emphasis on aquaculture. “For the Los Lagos Region, it is very important to host events of this magnitude, which position our territory nationally and internationally and, at the same time, stimulate the regional economy, generate employment, and strengthen the various production chains linked to aquaculture,” the governor emphasized.
This leadership is complemented by that of the mayor of Puerto Montt, Rodrigo Wainraihgt, who has highlighted Aquasur’s impact on local economic activity and its contribution to attracting investment, innovation, and development for the city.
In that vein, Carola Fuentes, general manager of FISA, emphasized that “together with regional and municipal leadership, Aquasur is consolidating itself as an international platform that contributes to projecting a long-term vision for aquaculture, in line with the challenges and guidelines set forth in the Salmon 2050 Plan, an initiative promoted by the municipality of Puerto Montt.”
The Salmon 2050 Plan will be presented during the first day of Aquasur 2026 to companies, trade associations, unions, and other relevant stakeholders in the sector, in an event led by Mayor Wainraihgt. The presence of fifteen ambassadors at the event has also been confirmed, reflecting the interest and expectation that Aquasur generates on a global scale.
The fair is sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism; the Puerto Montt Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism; ProChile; SalmonChile; the Salmon Council; Salmon Farmers of Magallanes; and Endeavor. On the business front, CMPC is participating as the Main Sponsor, while AquaChile and Blumar are joining as strategic partners, along with the industry support of SalmonChile, the Salmon Council, and Salmon Farmers of Magallanes, thus strengthening the event’s broad appeal.
International Congress and GSI Workshop
Concurrent with the exhibition, the Aquasur 2026 International Congress will take place, the leading public-private, scientific-industrial, and international platform for dialogue on aquaculture in the Southern Hemisphere. The program will address the industry’s structural challenges around four main themes: production sustainability; technological and biotechnological innovation; human health and animal welfare; and governance, international standards, and global cooperation.
Confirmed speakers include representatives from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Chilean Association of Veterinary Specialists in Aquaculture, the Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Chile, and leading companies in the sector. They will delve into topics such as innovation applied to the entire production cycle, the health benefits of salmon consumption for humans, animal welfare in aquaculture, and gene editing.
One of the program’s highlights will be the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) workshop, a collaborative leadership network that brings together CEOs of the world’s leading salmon producers. This initiative focuses on corporate leadership, transparency, and global collaboration. The event, structured as a seminar-workshop, will address leadership perspectives on the future of salmon, in line with the global salmon farming agenda for sustainability and continuous improvement.
During the first day of the Congress, a public policy panel will also be held, focusing on regulation, international standards, cooperation, and sustainable development in the sector. While Thursday, March 26, will be dedicated to presentations on innovation, biotechnology, and future production, with an emphasis on technological solutions for sustainable and competitive aquaculture. In this way, the Congress will bring together science, industry, regulation, and entrepreneurship in a coherent program that reinforces Chile’s and Aquasur’s position as a regional hub for aquaculture innovation and sustainability.
Aquasur Evening, Formal Dinner, and Family Day
The program of activities includes an institutional and social agenda that seeks to strengthen public-private cooperation, sectoral networking, and industry connections. Thus, on Tuesday, March 24, at 8:00 p.m., a formal dinner by invitation will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Puerto Varas, bringing together ambassadors accredited to Chile, national and regional authorities, industry leaders, and key figures in the sector, with the aim of deepening institutional dialogue and international collaboration around the sustainable development of aquaculture.
On Wednesday, the 25th, Aquasur Night 2026 will take place at the City-Port Linkage Center of the Puerto Montt Port Authority (Empormontt), an event that has become one of the most important social gatherings on the aquaculture calendar. This space is designed to generate strategic networking opportunities among companies, trade associations, authorities, and academia, and seeks to forge new cooperative alliances within the framework of the fair.
On Thursday, the 26th, Aquasur Family Day will be held, an exclusive event for the families of exhibitors and salmon producers, running from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The day will include activities for children, interactive cooking demonstrations, and live musical performances, reinforcing the aquaculture industry’s community outreach and its connection with the communities of southern Chile.
Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Animal Welfare
The 2026 edition of Aquasur will have a special focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. Therefore, in the designated SME Zone, 26 startups selected through the “Launch Your Business” competition will be set up. This initiative, promoted by FISA in conjunction with AquaGroup and InfoSalmón, aims to foster technological solutions for aquaculture. A total of 50 startups participated in the application process, reflecting the dynamism of the innovation ecosystem linked to the industry and the interest in the event.
In the academic and scientific sphere, the fair will feature the participation of institutions such as the Universidad San Sebastián (USS) and the Universidad de Chile, as well as the CeTEC Los Lagos Center for Circular Economy Technology, which develops applied research and technology transfer projects focused on adding value.
Happy Salmon Awards
Animal welfare will also be a prominent focus through the Happy Salmon Awards, a sector-specific recognition presented by SalmonExpert, a specialized media outlet with over 15 years of experience covering the industry and part of the Norwegian Oceanspace Media group.
The award, which will be presented on the first day of the fair, seeks to highlight best practices and concrete efforts in fish health and welfare at different stages of the production chain.
Thus, Aquasur 2026 is preparing for three days that will combine technological showcases, strategic discussions, innovation, community engagement, and a strong commitment to the sustainability of aquaculture in Chile and around the world.
