The event, which was held this weekend, was visited by locals and tourists who enjoyed the Mostra organised by the Fishermen’s Guild of Gandia
The Port Authority of Valencia and the Valenciaport Foundation took part with a stand explaining the importance of recycling and the promotion of fishing tourism
València, September 20th, 2021.- Hundreds of people visited this weekend the Mostra de Pesca Artesanal, Turisme i Territori de la Mediterrània de Gandia which was held on the esplanade of the Lonja del Pescado and served to highlight the value of the activities of the sea and the work of a sector such as fishing with a great tradition in the municipality. This event, organised by the Gandia Fishermen’s Guild, was attended by numerous institutions such as the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) and the Valenciaport Foundation.
Workshops, concerts, gastronomic tastings, theatre, guided tours, were some of the activities that visitors were able to enjoy at this Mostra, which served to raise awareness of the blue economy, the work of the fishing sector and recycling at sea in a fun and festive atmosphere. Activities related to the world of the sea that brings great wealth to the Grao de Gandia and is part of its idiosyncrasy. This second edition has consolidated this event which has counted on the participation of Valenciaport with an information stand on the initiatives which are being carried out to promote this strategic sector and to highlight the importance of the port for its neighbours.
Specifically, the visitors were able to learn about the RepescaPlas project, which is in its fourth year of removing plastic and other waste from the sea, studying how it affects the maritime ecosystem and recovering it in order to transform it into new resources for the benefit of society. An initiative in which the Valenciaport Foundation and the Gandia Fishermen’s Guild are actively participating together with the Plastic Technology Institute (AIMPLAS), the Zero Waste Association, the University of Vigo, the Port Authority of Marín and the Fishermen’s Guild of La Restinga. In 2020, 4,218 kilos of marine litter recovered by the guilds of the ports of Gandia, Marín and Vigo in Galicia, and La Restinga on the island of Hierro, were removed.
The Turismed initiative has also been presented to promote fishing tourism, an effective and replicable response to tackle threats to the sector and enhance the value of an industry that is deeply rooted in many coastal areas, promote the sustainability of maritime and fishing heritage and raise awareness of the importance of marine culture. This initiative, a continuation of Tourismed, aims to capitalise on the sustainable fishing tourism business model developed in the first stage to apply it in other territories, as well as to improve institutional support for this activity in all participating regions.