“The ocean is very dynamic and unpredictable. It brings species when you least expect them because they adapt to change,” warned Pedro Bastos, head of Nutrifesco, a Portuguese company that supplies fish products to restaurants and hotels. This natural phenomenon makes it difficult for chefs to plan ahead, as they must respect the seasonal availability of each species. ‘Fishing is unpredictable and requires chefs to be flexible,’ he added. In Portugal, there are more than 130 species of fish, but only the 30 most common are used,” he said.

Pedro plays an active role in raising awareness of and appreciation for marine resources because he believes it is essential to educate everyone, starting with children at home and at school, so they learn to appreciate and enjoy wild fish. We must encourage them towards a gastronomic culture that makes them value the work of fishermen. Fishermen must be seen not only as artisans, but also as experts of the sea, who deserve economic and social recognition.

‘We have become very comfortable; we need to go back to basics’

Roberto Rodríguez Prieto, manager of Artesáns da Pesca in La Coruña and a supplier to the country's best restaurants, took a similar stance, arguing that change involves learning to eat fish differently: 'Going back to basics, home cooking and enjoying eating fish with our hands as we did when we were children'. In the context of a conference bringing together all those involved in exploiting the sea, Roberto believes that 'to raise consumer awareness, fishermen and chefs are crucial, but so are scientists and communicators. We all sit at the table, and we all have a palate." He added an important point about ensuring marine sustainability: 'We need to give value to lesser-known fish because we have become too comfortable and only want boneless, processed fish.'

Emilio Marín, an expert sport fisherman and collaborator at the Cataria restaurant in Cádiz, also believes that ‘it is important to raise awareness that many species are worth more than just their portions. Large pieces are not only more profitable, but also delicious’. He considers the role of chefs to be very important in this regard, as in Cádiz, new species arrive all the time due to the different currents, but fishermen are reluctant to catch them in case they don't sell at the fish market.

Finally, Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez, a professional fisherman and member of the Nuestra Señora de la Luz Fishermen's Guild in Tenerife, advocated giving greater gastronomic value to species that are highly undervalued, such as parrotfish and burro in the Canary Islands. He also expressed his concern about the increasing difficulty of his profession. 'It's getting harder and harder. Without help, we're doomed to failure,' he said.