“O que vem à rede” (What's in the fishing net) project values fish diversity
The Setúbal City Council started today a program to value the diversity of fish, called “O que vem à rede”, which calls for the consumption of commercially less valued species and aims to reinforce the sustainability of the ocean.
In the environmental dimension, the project, presented in the auditorium of the Mercado do Livramento, aims to guarantee sustainable fishing, while in the economic area it aims to achieve the commercial value of fish, in the social area to contribute to the activity of the fishing community of Setúbal and in the food sector to ensure nutritional enhancement.
The program defends the enhancement of local fish circuits, responsible fishing and sustainable aquaculture, the gastronomic enhancement of a greater diversity of species, to reduce the pressure on those usually consumed the most, and the consumption of “seasonal” species, as well as such as food innovation, through the use of fish species little considered commercially.
With the initiative, in partnership with Docapesca, the Setúbal Artisanal Fishing Association and the Setúbal School of Hospitality and Tourism (EHTS) and Associação Natureza Portugal/World Wildlife Fund (ANP/WWF), among other entities, the municipality intends to revitalize municipal markets and promote the sale and gastronomic use of fish that has a lower commercial value, but which exists in greater quantity.
Developed under the “Setúbal Terra de Peixe” brand, the programme, with no defined end date, will include awareness-raising actions among restaurants, with the aim of creating new suggestions for fish menus based on species indicated as “sustainable”. ”, and the general public, calling for responsible consumption and choices to defend environmental sustainability.
Red goat, parrotfish, clams, fataça, corvineta real, charroco, boga do mar, megrim, conger, black horse mackerel, moray eel, salema, sea bream alcorraz, sargueta, bighead octopus, blue whiting, choupa, pout and mackerel are the species to consider in the restaurant and consumer choices.
Deputy Mayor of Setúbal Ricardo Oliveira stressed that the fish object of this project "has already been on the tables of the vast majority of the population" of Setúbal, but today "is little valued in commercial and gastronomic terms".
He recalled that, with the project “What comes to the network”, the municipality intends to “contribute to the sustainability of resources” fishing and indicated that he expected a “significant adhesion” of the restoration and fish trade sectors, so that there are also benefits for the fishing community.
“Traditional activities, such as fishing, which is part of our culture and Setúbal's identity, are also the engine for the development process that we want in our city”, he said.
The president of Docapesca, Sérgio Faias, considered that the fact that “we are talking about a project in favor of the fishing community” is already positive, thus thanking the City Council for the initiative.
“Setúbal has always been closely linked to products that come from the sea and the river. Our first ambition is to contribute to the sustainability of the fishing sector”, he said, pointing out that the sustainability of fishing communities must be based on three pillars – economic, environmental and social. “These products continue to come to the network and have to be valued and consumed.”
The director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Setúbal, Helena Lucas, stressed that "fish is part of the gastronomic tradition and culture of Setúbal" and that that educational establishment "makes a point that students are ambassadors of the region's gastronomy", which is why they put a lot of work into wines and fish, trying to make some “less noble species more appealing for consumption”.
Rita Sá, from the non-governmental organization for the environment ANP/WWF, ended the session with a lecture on the topic “The diversity of fish and food consumption”, in which she appealed to fishermen to carry out responsible fishing and to consumers to make choices equally responsible.
After recalling that Portugal is the second largest consumer of fish in Europe, with 61 kilos per year per capita, against 21 for the European average, he stressed that the country imports around 60 percent of the fish it consumes, with sardines, horse mackerel , anchovy, mackerel and octopus are the most captured species in national waters.
After the presentation, EHTS teachers and students performed showcooking, making two dishes and giving them to the Livramento Market visitors to taste – a cold red goat salad with yogurt sauce and a mashed potato with spinach and sea bream.
