Anfaco-Cecopesca plays an important role as a dynamic agent of the marine-food industry, providing associated companies with services that facilitate their development and improve their competitiveness. With the help of its secretary general, Roberto Alonso, we address the challenges of a key sector for Galicia.

What are Anfaco-Cecopesca's objectives and how does the association contribute to the development and competitiveness of the marine-food sector in Spain?

Anfaco-Cecopesca is an entity whose objective is to ensure the competitiveness and investment of the marine-food sector in Spain, in order to maintain added value and employment. To this end, it develops actions in various fields related to technical and legislative knowledge, innovation, training, trade and promotion, as well as bringing together its representation (with 257 companies at present) with the administrations in order to ensure that public-private collaboration is a success. A strong Anfaco-Cecopesca benefits the companies, directly through its daily and detailed support in its operations, as well as collectively, by ensuring that legislators (both national and European) take into account the needs and challenges that will ensure that in 2050 we continue to have an internationally leading sector.  In addition to the above, CSR and communication actions towards society, defending what we have always done, preserving the best of the sea.

From your experience, what do you consider to be the main challenges currently facing the seafood processing sector in Spain?

The industrial fish and seafood sector in Spain is facing a series of challenges arising from the economic situation, which must be addressed strategically with concrete and orderly actions. The aim is to maintain its status as an essential sector and a key player in food sovereignty for supplying the population with safe and nutritious products based on a sustainable food model. To this end, internationalisation and its blue transformation must always be accompanied by a level playing field that rewards the effort and quality of our development in Galicia and Spain.

Specifically, we must have a more stable legal framework and a guaranteed supply of raw materials with sufficient autonomous tariff quotas. Likewise, harmonising controls on the origin of imported products at European level, establishing environmental lists for factories in third countries, strengthening the European Commission's audits and tightening up mechanisms for reviewing trade agreements are some of the aspects that should improve a level playing field in the face of ever-increasing international competition.

Bureaucracy is another consequence of high regulation. Systematic reviews should therefore be implemented to simplify business by taking advantage of digital tools. In terms of consumption leverage, fish and seafood are vital in a balanced diet due to their nutritional quality, which is why we must prevent a drop in consumption by reducing VAT to 0% for all fishery products under healthy taxation and boosting communication, dissemination and promotion campaigns aimed at consumers.

Promoting industrial investment through a specific sea-industry perte for the seafood processing industry, developing levers for generational renewal and training, or reinforcing our role in the new blue economy are also elements of work.

How does Anfaco-Cecopesca promote innovation and the adoption of new technologies among its members?

At Anfaco-Cecopesca we focus on the competitive improvement of our member companies, through the generation of knowledge and its application to the development of new technologies aimed at the sector's challenges. Thus, the projects financed through competitive tendering in public calls are used as a driving force for the generation of Anfaco-Cecopesca's own knowledge in collaboration with other agents of the ecosystem to be subsequently transferred to the industrial fabric through the licensing or assignment of patents, the dissemination of research results and, mainly, through actions under contract in which to apply this knowledge acquired "tailored" to the needs of the company.

How does Anfaco-Cecopesca address sustainability in the seafood industry? What initiatives are being carried out to minimise the environmental impact of the sector?

Anfaco-Cecopesca approaches sustainability from different points of view; at the process level, through the development of technologies that enable the valorisation of by-products and effluents towards high-value markets, waste minimisation and the improvement of energy efficiency and decarbonisation; and at the product level, through the development of products with underused raw materials and ingredients from sustainable sources and the development of alternative packaging materials to plastic.  Noteworthy are the initiatives carried out in the field of the use of ultrasound, induction or ohmic heating [produced when an electric current passes through food] as ways to electrify industry processes, or, at international level, projects aimed at the use of new sources of marine protein and the design of biorefinery solutions to provide an outlet for waste from the seafood industry to other sectors.

In terms of alliances, we can add the shared value strategy that the organisation has in place until 2030, through which it has a positive impact on 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and which began in 2004 with its adherence to the United Nations Global Compact. Anfaco-Cecopesca is also involved in specific collaborations with companies for decarbonisation, such as the recent one with Iberdrola; or participates in regional initiatives, such as the Alianza Galega polo Clima in Galicia; national initiatives, such as the Business and Biodiversity initiative, or private initiatives, with R&D&I projects of the Horizon Europe programme for the benefit of circularity and the recovery of by-products. The most recent is our adhesion to the EU code of responsible conduct.

What is Anfaco-Cecopesca's strategy to promote the internationalisation of companies in the sector? Are there target markets or priority regions?

At Anfaco-Cecopesca we are aware of the strategic nature of internationalisation as one of the levers to boost the growth of companies in our sector, and it is one of our priority lines of action.

In this sense, we accompany our industrial fabric in its access to new markets through advice and training in the requirements and procedures established by each destination country. Attendance at international trade fairs, the development of trade missions and the reinforcement of international promotion promoted jointly by Anfaco-Cecopesca are other support measures.

Europe is the main market. A distinction should be made between those markets that have traditionally been the main sales destinations, such as Italy, France and Portugal, and other countries that present opportunities, such as Germany, Belgium, Greece and Eastern European countries. However, our industry is also committed to diversifying its sales. Outside the EU, the United States, North Africa and Latin America are target markets where the industry is already present and where there is room for growth. The Middle East is another prominent destination, which has been developing in recent years and has become an attractive market. Finally, it is worth mentioning Asia, where the market is gradually beginning to open up, considering the purchasing power and the westernisation of consumer habits.

How do national and European policies affect the seafood processing sector and how does Anfaco-Cecopesca respond to these challenges?

We have 257 member companies with a turnover of over €11,600 million and 24,600 jobs. The regulatory and legislative framework, both national and European, has a direct impact on the operations of our sector in the different areas of its business activity as a food industry (production, marketing, financing, labour, etc.). The monitoring of the different policies that affect our sector, the adoption of sectoral positions and their defence and management before the different administrations with the aim of ensuring the competitiveness of our associated sector is the essence of Anfaco-Cecopesca. And in this field, its sectorial representativeness before different bodies is outstanding, highlighting its participation as a member of the EU advisory councils on fisheries, aquaculture and processing (MAC, LDAC and CCSud), holding the vice-presidency of the PTEPA (Spanish Technological Platform for Fisheries and Aquaculture), as well as the European associations AIPCE-CEP, ESSA, and occupying the presidency of EUROTHON.

I invite you to find out more about becoming a member of Anfaco-Cecopesca, it is worthwhile.

What are Anfaco-Cecopesca's perspectives and plans for the coming years in terms of sectoral development, innovation and sustainability?

Anfaco-Cecopesca, with 120 years of history, projects an ambitious future focused on sector development, innovation and sustainability. We have recently approved a new strategic plan for the years 2024-2026 which, under four fundamental pillars, outlines a route with the aim of consolidating the organisation in the midst of an economic scenario characterised by profound transformations. With a disruptive vision, Anfaco-Cecopesca seeks not only to adapt to the continuous changes in the fishing and food industry, but also to lead initiatives that drive sustainable development, technological innovation and the global promotion of food quality and safety. This strategic plan represents a firm commitment to excellence, resilience and active contribution to the dynamic future of the industry.

Looking ahead to 2024, the association aims to stabilise and enhance growth, surpassing itself and consolidating its role as a leading player in the Spanish maritime-industrial complex at international level.