Carrefour Spain signs sustainable fishing agreement with its suppliers

Carrefour Spain has signed a sustainable fishing agreement with its suppliers during the event 'Fishing and Aquaculture in Spain: Blue Economy from Sea to Table' held as part of the activities of the Spanish Network of Knowledge Spaces for the Blue Economy (REECEA).

This initiative has been organized by the General Secretariat for Fisheries and Carrefour, which have joined forces to promote blue growth in the field of trade and the consumption of fishery and aquaculture products.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Luis Planas, closed the event and highlighted the importance of the distribution chain in promoting the sustainability, quality, and competitiveness of the industry.

In addition, the minister recalled that "the blue economy and, above all, fisheries and aquaculture, must be clearly recognized in the future European Oceans Pact, which aims to provide an integrated and coherent vision of the European Union’s maritime policies."

According to the Ministry, Spain is the leading employer in the blue economy sector in the European Union, with nearly one million people linked to maritime activities, and is also the second country in terms of gross value added, with more than €36 billion.

The importance of the blue bioeconomy

The blue bioeconomy makes sustainable use of marine and aquatic biological resources to produce food, energy, materials, and services, while protecting ecosystems.

Within the Agri-food Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE Agroalimentario), €40 million has been allocated to 19 companies in the fishery and aquaculture processing industry.

In addition, €2 million has been granted to blue economy projects under the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR).

Finally, Planas referred to the National Food Strategy, which aims to raise public awareness of the importance of a healthy diet based on fish.