Atlantic seafood vendors fish for clients at 2014 Seafood Expo

A total of 23 different companies from Atlantic Canada's seafood industry were touting their products at the North American Seafood Expo in Boston on Sunday.

Thousands of people from as many as 100 countries are in Boston in what's seen as a huge marketing opportunity in the seafood business.

Mark Powell, vice-president of marketing for Fisher King Seafoods Ltd. based in Halifax, is manning his company’s booth at the show. This marks his 16th year at the expo.

"This is probably the three most important days of the year for us because there’s so many customers — whether they’re chain food service accounts or major retailers, both from the U.S., Canada and abroad, the casinos out of Vegas, the cruise ships out of Miami. There’s a lot of international suppliers that are here as well. Everybody is here all in one place,” he said.   

Companies from New Brunswick, P.E.I and Newfoundland and Labrador are working together this year. They’re in separate provincial pavillions but are still under the Atlantic Canada banner.

All four provincial governments and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency kicked in $160,000 to help fund the trip to Boston.

The trade show runs between March 16 and 18.

The seafood, fisheries and aquaculture industry contributes nearly $2 billion to the Atlantic Canadian economy and employs nearly 26,000 people.

Last year Canada exported $4.4 billion worth of fish and seafood products. The Atlantic region accounts for more that 70 per cent of Canada’s total seafood exports.