The future of fishing in the Mediterranean starts from Mazara – Mazara del Vallo returns to the centre of the strategic debate on fishing in the Mediterranean basin. On Friday 30 May, from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm, the Council Chamber of the Municipality will host the ministerial meeting on “Strengthening fish supplies in the Mediterranean”, the flagship event of the international event Treasures from the Blue, promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry.
The meeting, at a very high institutional level, will be attended by Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Undersecretary Patrizio La Pietra, Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies Nello Musumeci, President of the Sicilian Region Renato Schifani, and Regional Councillor Salvatore Barbagallo.
In addition to the Italian presence, the meeting opens up to dialogue with Mediterranean partners, marking a concrete moment of blue diplomacy: Anton Refalo, Malta’s Fisheries Minister, Adel Sultan, Libya’s Minister of Marine Resources, and Ben Cheikh, Tunisia’s Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, will be present.
‘This event is not just a celebration of the sea and its resources, but an operational opportunity to strengthen cooperation, promote the sustainable development of fisheries-related activities, and consolidate Italy’s role as a leading player in the relaunch of the blue economy,’ said Undersecretary Patrizio La Pietra, who will introduce the proceedings.
The shared vision looks to a fishing sector capable of responding to complex challenges such as food security, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness, focusing on integrated policies, international alliances and technological innovation.
Technical session: experts and companies to compare
The second part of the meeting will focus on a high-profile technical panel, where the most operational issues related to the supply, processing, safety and valorisation of Mediterranean seafood will be addressed.
Giuseppe Palma, secretary general of Assoittica Italia, will address the issue of know-how transfer in product processing, emphasising the importance of disseminating skills and technologies to countries in the area.
Alberico Simioli, an expert in fishing and aquaculture, will talk about the centrality of supply chains for valorisation and competitiveness, while Mauro Colarossi, from the Directorate General for Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture, will discuss European regulations on food safety and traceability.
The session will be closed by Valentina Tepedino, director of Eurofishmarket, with a focus on the international promotion of Mediterranean seafood, increasingly perceived as a distinctive element for exports and for territories’ branding strategies.
A shared vision for the blue economy
The meeting in Mazara del Vallo is not limited to a symbolic dimension: it represents a concrete moment of political and operational elaboration, which intends to strengthen Italy’s position as a leader in the Mediterranean dialogue on fishing and marine resources.
For the world of processing, distribution, and all operators in the supply chain, it will also be an opportunity to update on current institutional strategies, fostering new synergies between public and private, between innovation and tradition, between local scale and international cooperation.
The future of fishing in the Mediterranean starts from Mazara
