Small-scale fishers on Spain’s southern coast are using QR-code labels, digital sales tools and local research projects to market their catch and track seafood from boat to buyer.
Producer organisation OPP72, set up in 2010, brings together around 70 producers and 59 vessels operating from the ports of Conil, La Atunara and Rota in Cádiz, the European Commission informed in a statement on Monday.
The group is officially recognised under EU law as a producer organisation, meaning it can receive EU support, including through production and marketing plans.
OPP72 has carried out its own research into local fish stocks and surrounding ecosystems after some species were classed by scientists as “data-limited stocks.”
The Commission said the results were used to shape action plans linked to sustainability and stewardship of the local marine environment.
Tracking seafood with tags and codes
The group has launched a certification scheme called "Pescado de Conil," under which each fish caught by members receives a yellow QR-code tag that links to information such as the species, the vessel, the fishing area and recipe ideas, the Commission informed.
It is also developing a traceability system for locally harvested clams using laser technology to engrave each clam with a unique code.
To modernise sales, OPP72 has created a digital auction platform and launched an online shop for consumers to order local seafood.
The organisation also runs annual campaigns with local restaurants that focus on a different species each year, and it works with schools through initiatives including “Chef Marinero”, described as a cooking competition for children.
Educational materials include a documentary featuring “SuperMar”, an animated seahorse used to teach children about marine life and fishing.
On environmental projects, OPP72 runs a local coral restoration scheme in which corals accidentally caught during fishing are restored and returned to the sea.
“The producer organisation drives the hope for a coastal fishery in need of institutional support,” said Nicolas Fernández Muñoz, the director of the producer organisation.
