Slow Fish returns this year over April 17-20, organized by Slow Food and the Region of Liguria, with support from the City of Genoa, The Province of Genoa, Carige Foundation, Chamber of Commerce of Genoa and in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. This fourth edition of the biennial international event dedicated entirely to the world of fishing and its problems, will be held in a unique location overlooking the Mediterranean Sea: the new pavilion of the Genoa Fair designed by architect Jean Nouvel.
Slow Fish presents and discusses sustainable fishing and production, responsible fish consumption and the health of sea and fresh water ecosystems by involving a wide range of viewpoints – academics, researchers, members of fishing communities, representatives of public bodies and enthusiasts – in conferences, meetings, workshops and tasting sessions.
The Mediterranean Basin has a strong identity and is meeting place for many cultures. Thus, Slow Fish represents an important opportunity for discussion between these 18 countries – both EU members and non-members – on the future of fishing in the region, particularly with new stricter fishing regulations due to become effective in 2010 for European Community countries.
Increasingly a major focus of all Slow Food events, Taste Education is a fundamental part of Slow Fish, and will focus on promotion of good practices to preserve the Mediterranean ecosystem. With this in mind, the personal shopper was conceived as a new feature of the 2009 edition – an expert who can accompany visitors around the fish market, assisting them to discover the wide variety of the fish available and to point out lesser-known species that are also highly tasty.
Children can participate in various activities such as Enchanting Anchovies, an area in which students learn to recognize and choose fish and Taste Test, an educational journey to encourage young children to discover their five senses. Meanwhile, the two Dream Canteen workshops provide an opportunity for experts from the catering field to meet and discuss pertinent topics relating to fish use in catering. In addition, the Fare’s Fair campaign returns this year, with advice for making intelligent and aware choices in our daily fish shopping.
The Slow Fish market is a trading and exhibition space where visitors will find rich selection of fresh and preserved fish as well as a range of oils, spices, salts and seaweeds. The exhibitors from across Italy and the world are forbidden to sell products containing additives or artificial flavors or any fish species threatened by extinction such as red tuna, swordfish, eel or salmon.
Among the market’s stallholders, visitors will be able to meet with Presidia producers (15 Italian, 8 international) and 4 Terra Madre food communities – outstanding examples of fishermen living in harmony with their surrounding environment, maintaining healthy fish stocks and increasing the value of their work by selling high quality, fresh catch as well as excellent processed products.
The Slow Fish program of Water Workshops will provide many opportunities for in-depth discussion of various problems relating to fishing and the sea, while the Taste Workshops offer guided tasting sessions. And the enlightenment continues at the table: in the Enoteca visitors can taste wines matched with various fish dishes, while the Seafood Osterias, Islands of Taste and Street Food stalls will present gastronomic specialties from various regions.