November 29, 2022

Elena Ghezzi, head of the department of fisheries and aquaculture at Legacoop Agroalimentare, one of the Italian partners of FISH MED NET, , was interviewed by Il Giornale del Cibo, an Italian magazine on food and cooking, for having contributed to the guide Tourism with Fishers. The objective of this guide is  to shed  light on Italian structures that have joined   the journey of FISH MED NET project since its beginning (September 2019)and believe in the positive effects of the project : a mutual and positive collaborative environment at regional, national and international level to improve Mediterranean fishers´ lives.

The interview tackles not only the reasons for having produced such a deliverable which, its first objective, is to provide support  to the structures to publicize their sustainable efforts through a pocket guide for tourists, but also to showcase how FISH MED NET project functions more as a tool to support fishers and cooperatives in becoming more resilient by diversifying their activities. Mrs. Ghezzi described today's fishers struggle with all sorts of daily changes, ranging from unpredictable and severe climate change to oncoming alien species disrupting the food chain, ultimately affecting their daily catches. Hence, diversification is a necessity.

The interview concludes by discussing how the guide is there to add value to what is already existing, but sometimes unbeknownst to the fishers as a potential business diversification process, or to the tourist who may have been unaware that going out on a fisher boat could be a possibility to spend a nice day experiencing the sea. In the final remarks of the interview, she highlights the importance to  value sustainable actions. This is a recommendation that was shared by the head of department  in order to maintain and sustain a delicate and essential equilibrium between nature and economy.

The interview can be viewed at this link