For more than five decades, Pacific Marine Expo (PME) has been more than a tradeshow.
It's where boatbuilders unveil their newest designs, deckhands climb aboard vessels they've only admired in magazines, wheelhouses give way to classrooms, and captains swap ideas about everything from fuel efficiency to fish-finding electronics.
For many in the commercial fishing industry, the annual trip to Seattle has become as much a part of the calendar as opening day.
This November, that tradition begins a new chapter.
PME will take place from Nov. 19-21 at the Seattle Convention Center’s Arch Building, marking the show’s first move after years at the Lumen Field Event Center. While the address may be changing, organizers say the mission remains exactly the same: bringing together the commercial marine industry under one roof.
"The team is excited to welcome everyone to the Seattle Convention Center (SCC) for another great edition of Expo. In keeping with the spirit of tradition and innovation, the recent renovation of the Arch Building offers a bright, modern space that can handle even more of what our exhibitors and attendees know and love about the show — from heavy equipment displays and hands-on demos to education sessions and private meeting spaces for networking and association gatherings," shared Lauren Streeter, event director of PME. "And of course, fan favorites like the Alaska Hall, Beer Garden, and National Fisherman Arena are back. For many of us, Expo feels like a family reunion — seeing familiar faces return year after year is one of the best parts of what we do, and we can't wait to share Expo at the SCC with the commercial marine community this November."
"The new location offers more hotels, restaurants, and entertainment for those traveling from out of town, as well as exhibitors interested in hosting evening events," said Streeter. "The Arch Building also has streamlined exhibitor access for easier move-in and move-out. Our goal is to deliver the best all-around experience for our exhibitors and attendees, both during and outside of show hours, whether you're with us for one day or all three. The SCC gives us a great opportunity to do just that."
For longtime attendees, however, the building itself is only part of the story.
Pacific Marine Expo has evolved alongside the commercial fishing industry for more than 50 years, becoming the West Coast’s largest commercial marine trade show. Every year, fishermen, vessel owners, processors, naval architects, shipyards, equipment manufacturers and marine service companies from all coastal U.S. regions gather in Seattle to see what’s new, discuss challenges facing the industry and strengthen relationships that often stretch back decades.
Those conversations happen while comparing the latest hydraulic systems on the show floor. During coffee before the morning education sessions. Over dinners with longtime customers. Between exhibitors who have been attending for years and first-time deckhands walking the aisles to see what's possible in the industry, and the end-of-day happy hours.
The equipment changes from year to year. The technology keeps advancing. But the reason people return remains remarkably consistent.
Community.
Something the community says won't change with the move downtown.
"What sets PME apart is that it's never just been a place to look at equipment — it's where this industry actually connects. You'll see a captain who's been coming for twenty years introducing a first-time deckhand to a gear supplier, or two shipyards comparing notes over coffee before a session starts," shared Streeter. "People don't come back because of the building. They come back because the relationships and the knowledge-sharing that happen here don't happen anywhere else. That's the part of PME that travels with us, no matter the venue."
For fishermen who have made PME part of their annual calendar, the new venue represents another milestone in the show's long history rather than a departure from it.
The location may be different. The faces and the conversations that have defined PME for generations and will be right where they've always been.
Registration for Pacific Marine Expo 2026 is now open. The event runs Nov. 19-21 at the Seattle Convention Center Arch Building in Seattle. Additional information, including attendee registration, exhibitor information and hotel accommodations, is available on the Pacific Marine Expo website.
