Overseas
The Mazara del Vallo red prawn is not merely a premium seafood product. It is the beating heart of an economy and a centuries-old tradition. In recent months, however, the “brand” has come under the spotlight not because of its quality, but because of the shadows raised by the Irpi Media investigation. While it is necessary to shed light on alleged triangulations and illegal transshipments, it is equally vital that an entire fishing community does not become the scapegoat for an opaque system that first and foremost penalizes those who work honestly.
One fundamental point must be clearly reaffirmed: the added value of the red prawn, Aristaeomorpha foliacea, does not lie only in the seabed where it is caught, but in the know-how of Mazara’s fishermen.
It is the use of onboard freezing technology, combined with the ability to operate in deep waters, that has turned this crustacean into a global icon. Yet today this expertise is caught between the anvil of rising costs, fuel above all, and the hammer of European restrictions on fishing effort reduction.
The so-called “dumping” from North African countries is often analyzed too superficially. In a free market, price matters. The problem arises when low prices are generated by grey areas.
The “triangulations”, such as the transit of Libyan product through Tunisia to bypass export bans to the EU, are known to everyone. However, the answer is not closure, but legalization and transparency.
It is time for relations with partner countries to become accessible to all, ensuring sustainable and safe fishing conditions.
The way forward exists and is already written in the law. EU Regulation 2017/2403, which updated the legal framework for the sustainable management of external fishing fleets, provides the tools to establish agreements between Member States and third countries. It is not always necessary to wait for the slow and cumbersome intervention of Europe. There is room for authorizations and agreements which, while complying with sustainability and legality requirements, would allow fishermen to operate in their historic fishing grounds with full transparency.
Giving everyone the opportunity to work while respecting the environment, transferring skills and reducing costs is a right that must be collective, not a privilege reserved for a few.
The inertia of trade associations in the face of allegations of illegality is worrying. Silence does not protect the sector. On the contrary, it exposes it to the risk of unprecedented commercial devaluation.
Politics and industry operators must find the courage to institutionalize relations with neighboring countries. Clear fishing agreements would mean full product traceability, shared environmental protection and an end to unfair competition based on illegality.
Protecting the red prawn today means having the courage to reform the system. Mazara cannot be hit twice over: it cannot suffer Brussels’ restrictions and, at the same time, endure the damage of media-driven reputational mud. The time has come to turn an image crisis into an opportunity for reform, building a modern, legal and truly Mediterranean fishing model.
