The congress Meeting of the Seas 2024was held in Tenerife. This is the second occasion that the Congress has been held on the island, which serves to illustrate its significant commitment to the conservation of the oceans and to the primary sector activities linked to the sea and gastronomy. For three days, a group of scientists, chefs from Spain and beyond, and other professionals with an interest in marine matters engaged in debate on the relationship between the health of the oceans and human health. Furthermore, just like at every meeting, the Sartun Prize was awarded.The award was presented to marine biologist Daniel Pauly in recognition of his work in studying the impact of human activity on fisheries.
Aquanaria is a company based in the Canary Islands and a market leader in the Spanish marine aquaculture sector. For years, the company has been associated with the gastronomy sector, thanks to the quality of its products and its specialisation in large sizes, which has enabled it to become a leading supplier of sea bass for haute cuisine. The company is committed to sustainability, and to the care and respect of the ocean in which it operates.This is the second occasion on which it has participated as a partner in the organisation of this interesting congress.
BLUE HEALTH
The Meeting of the Seas 2024 was held in accordance with this motto. Benjamin Lana, General Director of Vocento Gastronomía, described the congress as diverse and characterised by the bringing together of different sectors, often with conflicting interests, but with a desire to find solutions and synergies.It is notable that this year’s congress has already yielded outcomes that build upon the results of previous congresses. There is a case study of a collaboration project between anglers from Galicia and Tenerife. The project’s objective is to implement on the islands the work that has been carried out in recent years in Galicia. This involves strengthening the relationship between culinary professionals and anglers to improve the quality of fishing and thus enhance the product value. We were informed about this by Pepe Solla, Roberto Rodríguez Prieto (manager of Artesáns da Pesca), Juan Carlos Clemente (consultant chef from Tenerife) and Manuel Díaz Marcelino (angler from Tenerife).
The congress was, as usual, focused on scientific matters. Carlos Duarte, biologist and scientific director of Meetings of the Seas, presented to the audience an overview of the relationship between the ocean and evolution.The presentation focused on the significance of red ochre (a source of iron and marine omega 3) in ancient cultures. At the congress, a substantial body of evidence was presented on the importance of seafood consumption in the diet, which is unfortunately on the decline. Both Carrie Ruxton, a dietitian, and Rosaura Leis, president of the Atlantic Diet Foundation, emphasised this point.
In the topic-specific section on the state of the seas, we presented a pessimistic outlook, as exemplified by Daniel Pauly’s perspective. The biologist stated that the FAO data are not sufficiently robust, and that the current rates of overfishing remain cause for concern. Javier Garat (President of the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations) offers a more optimistic view, indicating that many aspects are showing signs of improvement.
Chef Presence
As in previous years, the congress included a significant gastronomic component, featuring presentations and show-cookings by chefs with special links to the sea in their restaurants. Rafa Zafra commenced the proceedings by delineating the Gastrobio initiative, an endeavour to disseminate knowledge about fishing and related species. In attendance were also Ángel León, Chele González (a Cantabrian residing in the Philippines), and Alberto Lozano (chef at Huset, one of the most northerly restaurants in the world). On the international front, representatives from Norway and Italy were in attendance.
In the gastronomic section, we had the opportunity to sample dishes prepared by Nacho Solana (Solana Restaurant), Joan Capilla (L’Algadir, green Michelin star), José Álvarez (La Costa restaurant), and other distinguished chefs.
AQUANARIA AT THE MEETING OF THE SEAS 2024
Aquanaria made its debut on Sunday, with the tasting of “Sea bass toast with avocado, coriander, lime and chillies,” prepared by Victor Bossecker of Starfish Restaurant, Royal Hideaway Corales. On Monday, in the auditorium, Javier Torres (three stars and a green Michelin star) presented an overview of the current menu at his restaurant, including the Aquanaria sea bass. The dinner held on Tuesday took place at the picturesque Punta del Lomo El Monte Guargacho banana plantation. Chef David Arauz, of Shibui and Zuara, created a dish comprising sea bass prepared using the robata method with bordelaise sauce and sea bass sashimi marinated in amazake as a garnish. This dish features two distinct textures of sea bass. On the event’s final day, Jesús Camacho and his team from the Donaire restaurant prepared an “Aquanaria sea bass, vinegared beetroot and goat chantilly” cocktail.
Furthermore, one of the highlights of the congress was the presentation by Diego Schattenhhofer, in collaboration with Jesús Arrieta (a microbiologist from the Oceanographic Centre of the Canary Islands), of his research on enzymatic maturation with the Aquanaria sea bass. The samples, which had matured for varying periods of time (eight, twenty, forty and fifty-two days), were tasted by attendees at a guided tasting session. The results were both surprising and satisfactory for the researchers.
AQUANARIA’S COMMITMENT
It is of great importance to us that this congress is held to discuss the status and future of the seas and oceans. It is the environment in which we operate and is of great consequence to the development of a healthy humanity, as has been emphasised on numerous occasions. Each edition offers valuable insights and knowledge. We are pleased to confirm our intention to remain committed to and supportive of this Congress.
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