On the occasion of the G7 Agriculture and Fisheries, held from 21 to 29 September 2024 in the evocative setting of Syracuse-Ortigia, colleagues from IRBIM Mazara del Vallo attended conferences and round tables with contributions of knowledge and ideas to make Italian fishing in the changing Mediterranean more sustainable and resilient.
The G7 in Syracuse, in line with the work carried out in previous G7 Agriculture ministerial meetings, focused on the resilience and sustainability of agriculture and fisheries through the following thematic priority areas: science and innovation for adaptation to climate change and the contribution of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to food security.
In particular, the research carried out by researchers from IRBIM Mazara del Vallo and related during the G7 focused on current issues such as the management of invasive species such as blue crabgrass and thermophilic species such as worm, the development of recovery plans for threatened resources such as sea urchins, climate change and relationship with biological resources with a focus on the management issues of special fisheries by Fabio Fiorentino; of “Strategies for the evaluation of catches and reduction of the fraction discarded in trawling” and of the “latest assessments on the state of resources in the Strait of Sicily” for the optimization of fishing practices and safeguard biodiversity by Sergio Vitale while Germana Garofalo He spoke of “natural capital and assessment of cumulative impacts”.
These contributions demonstrate how cooperation between scientific research, technological innovation and management policies is essential for a sustainable future of fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean.
The initiatives presented during the G7 in Syracuse represent a tangible example of how science can offer innovative solutions for the management of fish species and the protection of marine habitats, which are essential to face the challenges posed by climate change.