GEORGE TOWN, Sept 20 ― Penang will be the first Asian country to host the World Seafood Congress come September 2019.
Penang was selected over other contenders such as Thailand, China and Japan that also bade for the event.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who announced this at his office today, said the state's selection was global recognition of its importance for fishing and fish farming.
“The state's support for this congress is RM500,000 whereas the estimated economic impact of this 500 delegates, three-day congress is estimated at RM3 million,” he said.
He said hosting the first World Seafood Congress in Asia will create a legacy for the larger fishery and aquaculture industry in the region.
“Congresses like this are important to the host destinations as well as the delegates,” he said, adding that the local industry will discover and learn from the experts in the sector.
Lim said Penang's fishery sector recorded revenues of RM1.3 billion in 2016, making it the largest fish farming on the sea in Malaysia.
“We believe this congress will bring more awareness and innovation to our fishery industry and expose ourselves to world standards and practices,” he said.
The Penang delegation comprising of Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) and government officials led by state executive councillor Datuk Abdul Malik Kassim submitted the bid in Iceland last week.
The World Seafood Congress was initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, and is owned by The International Association of Fish Inspectors.
It will be held in Penang on September 2019 at the Setia Spice Convention Centre.
