Last week, as part of Ensamble’s activities, a project (coordinated by the FLAG “Costa degli Etruschi ” which includes the affiliated bodies F.A.R. Maremma and Cooperative San Leopoldo and partners Petra Patrimonia Corsica, Legambiente Toscana, WWF North Africa) encompassing the workshop “Sustainability in fisheries and related activities” took place. The event, held remotely, was intended as a moment of collective reflection, in the presence of the affected stakeholders, regarding the continuous threats suffered by the Italian sea and coastal areas that endanger its integrity and survival, with obvious repercussions on fishing activity. Protecting marine resources is the only way to ensure the sustainable development of economic activity and the survival of fishing communities and all stakeholders surrounding the sea: this was the starting point for the discussions, which Romina Bicocchi (representing FLAG “Costa degli Etruschi”), Umberto Desideri (Director of the DESTEC Department – University of Pisa), Umberto Mazzantini (Head of Sea, Legambiente Toscana), Marco Benedetti (Vice President of Chimica Verde Bionet) participated in. Among the themes elaborated on, there are also environmental strategies in support of a sustainable economy, the “Salva mare” law, the role of the Blue Economy in climate mitigation and adaptation for the protection of biodiversity and for the construction of a sustainable and resilient economy, the management of waste and, fisheries and coastal resources, energy efficiency and the reduction of the use of fuel by fishing vessel.
“The convergence of interests that brings the Ensamble project to life – said Maria Rita Cecchini of Legambiente Toscana – sees our partnership with all the fishing sectors as holding together the interests of the sea and the economic interests of the fishing sector. The workshop focused on problems and brought up solutions, in the best tradition of scientific environmentalism.”
“The ENSAMBLE project, co-funded by the European Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Fund (FEAMP) – said Amanda Tiribocchi from the San Leopoldo cooperative – offers us the opportunity, to all, fishermen, public and private bodies, environmental associations, get together symbolically around a table, like today, and to discuss and pool each other’s skills and knowledge with the aim of reaching the point where the blue economy is not just a meaningless label but a decisive change of pace to maintain our economic competitiveness whilst protecting fishing and the environment”.
The discussions were followed by a live cooking show by the fishing cooperative La Granceola and Trabaccolo express, which provide the delivery for the catch of the day directly to customers’ homes. An example of innovation, adaptation and resilience is the Viareggini fishermen of the Cittadella della Pesca Cooperative, who, in order to cope with the closure of restaurants and markets due to the coronavirus emergency, had to rethink the traditional ways of selling their product and reorganize themselves by experimenting with a new service.