Seafood Show or Family Reunion?

It’s good to be back. This week, the first?Seafood Expo North America (SENA)?since 2019 was held. The aura in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and surrounding hotels and restaurants was, as?Responsible Seafood Advocate?Editor James Wright described it, “undeniably upbeat.” And he couldn’t be more right.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday felt like a three-day family reunion, not a business trip. There were handshakes. There were hugs. And there were smiles. Lots of smiles. Even though the aisles of the show floor were not as packed as in years past, attendees were as busy as ever, jumping from one 30-minute meeting to the next, squeezing as much out of the three-day event as possible. It felt hectic, and it went by quickly.

The best way to catch up on what you may have missed in Boston, especially at the conference program, is to read the?Advocate?article “Reunited: A confident but cautious industry returns to Seafood Expo North America,” which nicely sums up the long list of topics discussed at SENA.?

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the 100-plus people who attended GSA’s Stakeholder Update & Cocktail Hour on Sunday afternoon, as we honored Wally Stevens, who retired as CEO at the end of 2021. During the reception, a portrait of Wally by Dutch artist?Annelies Hoek?was unveiled. (Wally is pictured above with GSA President and Founder George Chamberlain.) It was one of those special moments that only an in-person event can do justice.