27-28 October
Planning Workshop and Visit to the territory of the Alto Tirreno Toscano FLAG.
On November 4, the design workshop and the release of the FLAG Alto Tirreno Toscano on the territory took place, which concerned two interesting aspects of the management of the fishing sector of the Viareggio navy. This appointment concluded the Blue Coast Agreements 2030 design workshop programme.
The design workshop was held in Viareggio at the headquarters of the Cooperative Society of Fishing Services Agency. The representatives of the Alto Tirreno Toscano FLAG, of La Cittadella della Pesca, Organization of Producers, of NAVIGO Innovation and Development of Boating and the President of the Mare Nostrum cooperative took part in the meeting. The discussion, which touched on all 17 of the sustainable development goals present in the 2030 Agenda, brought about several interesting points for reflection and potential projects to work on.
The outing on the territory concerned two interesting aspects of the management of the fishing sector of the Viareggio navy. The first is represented by the Mare Nostrum Cooperative which manages a quay in the port of Viareggio where there are: the spaces for the mooring of the small-scale fishing fleet and the kiosks equipped for unloading and selling the catch. The kiosks on the quay are equipped with photovoltaic panels which guarantee part of the energy necessary for the production of ice and for the functioning of the other kiosks. In addition to the kiosks dedicated to supporting fishing activities, there is also a kiosk dedicated to the direct sale of the catch.
The second visit concerned the new fish market in Viareggio which is nearing completion. The management of the structure, owned by the municipality of Viareggio, will be entrusted for 15 years to La Cittadella della Pesca, an Organization of Cooperative Producers. This OP represents almost all of the Viareggio navy and takes care of the processing, transformation, marketing and promotion of the local fish in an entrepreneurial manner. In particular, the PO brings together 14 contributing members and 62 fishing boats, as well as the fishing cooperatives present in the territory of the Municipality of Viareggio and the main trade organizations (LegaCoop, Confcooperative, UE Coop).
The management project of the new municipal fish market will see spaces dedicated to the entire production chain, starting from fishing up to the marketing and promotion of the product. The spaces of the new market include a part of the port dedicated to the mooring of both small-scale fishing boats and trawling and purse seining boats.
In addition to the cells for the conservation of the catch, there will also be rooms for the transformation of fish species of little commercial value and conservation through the patented Fresh Fish 4.0 process. To enhance the local catch, multifunctional rooms have also been provided, one of which with a kitchen, for training courses aimed at students of the hotel institute and on-board cooks. These spaces can also be used for promotional events aimed at schools or citizens.
On the upper floor, special spaces have been created dedicated to catering activities, thanks to the opening of a fish tourism, and to a bar. This project, which is being finalized, will represent an important moment of growth for the entire Viareggio fishing sector.
Inside the new structure there are also rooms for online auctions and spaces for direct sales. The possibility of implementing the current sales methods with those of the online auction will allow an increase in the remuneration of the catch, allowing fishermen to sell the product directly on their territory without having to transport the goods to the Livorno market which currently represents a privileged market outlet given the best prices obtainable.
