World Fishing Exhibition

World Fishing Exhibition is an exhibition dedicated to the fishing industry that is held once every 6 years.

The World Fishing Exhibition has its own history. Celebrated for the first time in 1963 in the United Kingdom as a biannual event, the first four shows were held at the famous Earl’s Court and Olympia Hall. After the 5th exhibition, the show went on the road to other countries and in 1971 took place at The Royal Dublin Society where it was organized by the Irish Government. The sixth edition, which was the first in Spain, was held in Vigo in 1973. Thereafter it travelled to Marseille, Halifax and Copenhagen.

From 1963 to 2003 the World Fishing Exhibition increased in both size and significance. Each show increased number of companies showing as well as for the amount of international visitors it received.

Vigo Selected to Stage the World Fishing Exhibition In 1973, Vigo, Europe’s leading fishing port, was elected to stage the World Fishing Exhibition. This Event had been celebrated five times in London and once in Dublin. The decision of the Organizing Committee ratifies the position of the local industry in the vanguard of the sex fishing activity.

These were years of expansion for the fishing industry. Hardly a decade ago, the shipyards in the Ria de Vigo launched the first freezing vessels. At that time, the debate concerning the extension of jurisdiction over the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone was being treated at the United Nations. After former USSR and Japan, Spain was the third fishing nation in the world; with a fleet of 4.600 fishing vessels and annual catch levels of 1.610.000 T. That time marked a major step forward in the development of the fishing industry in Spain.

VIGO’73 covered a surface area of 11.000 m2. Companies related to fish processing, on board as well as on land, occupied the biggest number of stands. During the Exhibition, several engine companies, (40 European and American firms were represented), sold all exhibited items. Important contracts for deck machinery, comprising winches, drums, electronic detection and navigation equipment, ropes and fishing nets, etc., were signed.

Another edition of the World Fishing Exhibition took place in 1985. Since the 1973 exhibition, two major events marked the evolution of the fishing industry: the 200-mile EEZ was introduced in the late 1970s, to gain legal access to the inshore seas of coastal nations. On the other hand, the world energy crisis of the 1970s inevitably affected the fishing companies. Apart from this, the Spanish fishing industry underwent the rapid changes and reforms that took place in the first years of EEC membership.

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