The beginning of a new year is always a great time to reflect on past achievements, evaluate progress, and set new goals. Looking back, we can proudly say that 2024 has been a very dynamic and impactful year for SEA2SEE. In Spain, numerous activities and events have taken place, focusing on engagement and bringing seafood literacy and responsible consumption to life through diverse, hands-on approaches. These efforts have been guided by insights from our baseline analysis of barriers to seafood consumption, ensuring that our actions are both meaningful and effective.
Throughout the year, SUBMON has led a range of activities in Spain within the framework of SEA2SEE, as part of its consumer engagement strategy. These initiatives have primarily focused on young consumers (children) and the educational community, aiming to drive change from the ground up by also involving families. This immersive approach has been made possible thanks to a SHORE Grant, part of the European Commission’s Mission Ocean initiative. All these activities, hosted at the Pérez Sala School thanks to the SHORE grant, have helped students discover the fascinating world of seafood, fostering awareness about responsible consumption and becoming aware of the journey food takes from the ocean to our plates.
Exploring the life cycle of seafood
During the talk, Arnau from GastroBio explained the entire process of research and documentation they are conducting, which links fishing, marine biology, and gastronomy. He described how they travel across the territory to observe firsthand how many species of commercial interest are captured. During the presentation, the importance of consuming fish was highlighted, with a particular emphasis on the need to understand the traceability of the product before consuming it—that is, the entire journey it follows from the moment it is caught at sea until it reaches our table. Finally, the biology and capture of various species of mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, cnidarians, and fish were presented, along with several culinary preparations that perfectly complement the mentioned products.
GastroBio presentation, an in-depth exploration of the journey of seafood products, from their origin to our plate.
Students had the opportunity to observe fresh fish up close, learn about the seasonality of different species, and experience how a real fish auction operates.
Experiencing a fish auction for the first time
The engagement extended beyond the classroom. Given the privileged situation of the town of Vilassar de Mar in the catalan coast, with a still active community of fisherman, students, families and teachers had the unique opportunity to witness a live fish auction, offering firsthand experience of the commercial side of fisheries. This activity sparked engaging discussions about fair trade and local seafood markets, but also had an exciting practical component teaching how to best clean the fish before consumption and presenting species that are not that common on the market but are also very tasty and easy to cook.
Cooking with sustainability in mind
Learning continued in the school kitchen. A live cooking session, held in collaboration with the school canteen, demonstrated sustainable ways to prepare seafood dishes. Families and students learned how responsible consumption starts in the kitchen, blending gastronomy with education to encourage mindful choices.
In collaboration with the school canteen, we organised an interactive culinary session where professional chefs demonstrated how to prepare sustainable seafood dishes and explained the seafood value chain behind the products served at the school.
“Espai del Peix” at the Palamós Fishing Museum, where 6th-grade students participate in a special showcooking. The chef teaches them the origin and preparation of each of the dishes they will taste during lunch, in a privileged location at the port of Palamós.
A visit to Mercabarna
A particularly impactful experience was the visit to Mercabarna, Barcelona’s central wholesale market for fresh produce and home to one of the largest seafood markets in Europe. The “Creix amb el Peix” activity took place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and provided an engaging experience that included a visit to the Interactive Fish Center, a tour of the Mercabarna Central Fish Market (inactive during the visit as it operates at night), a hands-on fish workshop, and a healthy lunch held within the market premises. Notably, this visit also underscored the project’s commitment to accessibility, ensuring that all students, regardless of mobility challenges, could fully participate in the experience.
The visit to the Mercabarna Central Fish Market aimed to give students a first-hand understanding of how the market operates, as well as an opportunity to explore its spaces and facilities.
A deeper connection with the sea
Through these initiatives, SEA2SEE has successfully deepened the school community’s understanding of the impact of food choices on the ocean. By integrating education, and hands-on activities, the project has not only enriched students’ knowledge but has also laid the foundation for a more conscious and responsible relationship with the sea and its resources.
