SeaWeb Seafood Summit 2018 is kicking off in Barcelona, Spain on Monday, 18 June, and the agenda is as full of sustainability-focused events as ever.
Running from 18 to 21 June, the event’s opening address will be given by Javier Garat, a leading Spanish Fisheries Advocate. Scheduled to speak at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, 19 June, Garat is the current president of Europe’s International Coalition of Fisheries Associations, and of the EU’s Association of National Organizations of Fishing Enterprises. He’s served at the helm of a number of seafood industry associations over the years, and is also the head of Cepesca, a Spanish fishing Confederation.
“Javier Garat is one of the most highly regarded voices in the Spanish seafood industry, and I’m delighted that he’ll be joining us at SeaWeb Seafood Summit and welcoming this year’s attending professionals,” said Brenna Hensley, event director for Diversified Communications, which produces the Summit in partnership with SeaWeb. “His work on behalf of Spain and EU fisheries serves as a beacon for other regions and is one of the reasons we’re proud to bring the Summit to Barcelona this year.”
Garat has recently made headlines for his public advocacy for economically sustainable fishing regulations, saying that the efforts have been paying off for both conservationists and the seafood industry.
Following Garat’s opening address is a packed agenda full of plenaries, networking, and seminars covering topics from the challenges facing aquaculture to social responsibility in within the industry. Also included are the annual Seafood Champion Awards, the finalists of which have been announced. The winners will be given their awards on 19 June.
Following the three days of events and seminars, participants will get the chance to take a daylong sustainable-seafood focused field trip up the coast of Spain. Participants in the field trip will first stop at the family-owned swordfish processor Frime, which has roots in the Boqueria Market and a long-held corporate commitment to sustainability.
Participants will then head to Cofradia de Palamós, a red shrimp trawl fishery that is part of the Medfish project. While in that area, they’ll visit the nearby Port de Palamós and the Museu de la Pesca, before viewing a live red shrimp auction.
“The field trip component of the Summit really reinforces the event’s commitment to expanding attendees’ educational experience from the conference to the actual field,” Hensley said. “Opportunities to experience sustainability hands-on add essential elements to attendee development, as well as the creation of effective sustainable strategies. This field trip will help accomplish that and solidify concepts presented throughout the conference agenda.”
SeaWeb Seafood Summit 2018 is bringing together 105 speakers, all of which are experts on sustainability from across the globe. The long list of speakers includes representatives from the seafood industry, academia, government, the media, and more. A project of The Ocean Foundation, the event is organized in partnership with Diversified Communications.
