The District of Fisheries and Blue Growth – COSVAP of Mazara del Vallo hasbeenengaged for years in solving the problems of the fisheriessector and in supporting companies in the supplychain, through the Co.S.Va.P.

Established with the signing of the DistrictPactisrecognized by the SicilianRegion with D.A. n. 182/12.S of 26 February 2008, renewed in 2011, in 2013 and lastly with D.A. n.164/GAB of 20/02/2020,
The Districtaims to research, build and implementusefulactions for the wholeseafoodchainatlocal, national and transnationallevelacting in synergiccooperation with cross-bordercountries, researchinstitutions, public and private institutions, credit institutions and companies, supporting and guidingtheireconomic and social growthprocessesaccording to the principles of the Blue Economy.

STRATEGIES

The axesidentified, within the principles of Blue Growth, for which the District of Fisheries and Blue Growthhasbeen a precursor are:

• Innovation, indispensable in supporting the production processes of fishingenterprises, in improvingsafetyconditionsat work and the quality of life of operators, aswellas of course in the introduction of lessimpactingfishingtechniques.

• Internationalization,through the implementation of new programmes of scientific and industrial cooperation. The cooperationactivities are alsoconcretizedthrough the drafting of memoranda of understanding with target countries, the dissemination of the District’s best practices, the sharing and disseminationamong partner countries of the monitoring of the evolution of naturalresources and economicactivitiesrelated to fisheries and aquaculture.

• Biodiversity and Sustainability, through a model of responsiblegrowththatdevelopsalongfourspecificguidelines of economic, social and environmentalsustainability.  Thisrequires a systemicapproachthatmanages the exploitation of fishresources with balance, takinginto account the aspects of availability, affordability and environmental impact.

• Foodsafetyis an articulated and vastissue, which must certainly be given due considerationsince the safety of fishproductsis the basis for the entiresupplychain and for end users. To apply a common system of traceability, retraceability and labelling of fishproductsbased on an internationallyacceptedidentification procedure.

• Networks and Coopetition, in order to consolidate the links of coopetition and production chainsthatneed new integrationsaimedat a greatercompetitiveness of companies in the supply and distributionmarkets.

• Finance, ismainlyorientedtowards the areas of innovative finance and internationalisation: to study and prefigurefinancialsupportinstruments (public and private) more functional to the projectactivitiespromoted by the District and itsmember companies.

• Training, in order to ensuregenerational turnover, to improve and update skills, enablingoperators in the sector to reactpromptly to changingtechnological, regulatory, economic and social conditions of work.

• Market, is a backbone to stimulate the growth of supply and demand and find new market outlets for companies in the District. The objectiveis to support companies to consolidate their market positions and find new ones. For thisreasonitcarries out market surveys to developcampaignsaimedatimproving the image of fishery and aquacultureproducts, carry out campaigns to promote the catch with attention to surplus species or species of little commercial interest. Italsopromotes the creation of labelscertifyingenvironmentalquality and helping businesses to allowcertainspecies, whosecharacteristics are essentially or exclusivelylinked to fishing in Sicily, to be included in the PDO, PGI, TSG, BRC and IFS schemes.

• Blue Sea Land Itis a container thatoriginates from the will to aggregate the clusters of Mediterranean, African and Middle East enlargedcountries, in order to consolidate relations between the participatingcountries to promote the necessaryeconomic, scientific, social, institutional and cultural integrationamong the populationsthroughseminars, meetings, expo, B2B meetings. One of the mainobjectives of the eventis to increase the business volume of companies in the agri-foodsupplychainsthrough B2B meetings and company visits.