RAS Era: How Will the 2025-2026 Aquaculture Exhibition Shape the Future of Fish Farming

The global aquaculture industry is witnessing a decisive shift towards land-based, controlled environment farming, which will be most evident at the exhibitions in 2025 and 2026. Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have shifted from niche innovations to the center stage, and major trade shows around the world provide important space for the technologies that will determine the future of this industry.

In 2025, a series of breakthrough events laid the foundation for the increasing maturity of RAS technology. In October, Aqua Farm Global, a special exhibition of Seafood Expo Russia, was held in St. Petersburg, showcasing a fully operational RAS system running in real time during the exhibition - equipment from multiple exhibitors worked with real fish, powerfully demonstrating system integration. The event attracted over 9,200 visitors interested in aquaculture, highlighting the rapid growth of the industry. The business plan explored key themes ranging from artificial intelligence integration to cost-effective production. One of the roundtable discussions pointed out that RAS systems require significant investment but offer unparalleled control over production outcomes.

The North American RAStech event held in Florida in May 2025 launched a "New Project" segment, providing early-stage companies with a platform to directly promote their concepts to investors. Due to the strong response, the organizers recognized that RAS's innovation needed to provide entrepreneurs with a dedicated space to connect with capital, and thus expanded the program until 2026.

With the arrival of 2026, the momentum of RAS will continue to strengthen. The headline event of this year was the Global Seafood Expo held in Barcelona (April 21st to 23rd), where a dedicated aquaculture innovation zone was launched for the first time in Hall 1. This was the first time that the world's largest seafood trade show had created a space specifically for aquaculture technology. This area brings together suppliers, start-ups and researchers, showcasing breakthroughs in farm management, fish health, water treatment and, crucially, RAS technology.

Other events in 2026 strengthened this global trend. The Vietnam Aquaculture and VietShrimp Joint Exhibition (March 11th to 13th, Ho Chi Minh City) will comprehensively showcase RAS and biome systems as part of its sustainable development focus. Over 200 exhibitors from 30 countries will participate. The Tokyo Hydroponic and Land-based Aquaculture Equipment Exhibition (July 15-17) returns as a biennial event, fully dedicated to RAS and related technologies, including circulation systems, water treatment equipment, and Internet of Things sensors. St. Petersburg will host Aqua Farm Global again in September 2026, expanding the on-site RAS system from one to two based on the successful demonstration in 2025.

From these exhibitions from 2025 to 2026, we can clearly see an industry that is undergoing transformation. RAS technology is expected to grow from 1.15 billion US dollars in 2025 to over 3 billion US dollars in 2033 and is no longer experimental. Digitalization and automation - Internet of Things sensors, AI-driven management platforms, and automated feeding - have become standard features rather than innovations. These exhibitions demonstrate that RAS is now a commercially viable and scalable solution that has been deployed in Europe, Asia and emerging markets.

For industry professionals, the message is clear: The Blue Revolution is taking place on land, and the technology shaping it is now being demonstrated.