Pesce Azzurro Cefalù anchovies now Friend of the Sea certified.
(ITALY, 10/8/2014)
Pesce Azzurro Cefalù anchovies, of the species Engraulis encrasicolus, have successfully undergone the audit and gained Friend of the Sea sustainable fisheries certification.
The anchovies are caught in the FAO areas nr. 37.1 and 37.2 in the Mediterranean Sea (excluding GSA zone nr. 16 of the Sicilian Sea) by artisanal fishing.
 |
| Pesce Azzurro Cefalù anchovies. |
The vessels are equipped with ‘lamparas’ - large, powerful torches which attract the anchovies to the surface at night. Only pelagic purse seine fishing gear is used, with no impact on the seabed.
The target school is checked with a small net, before the major one is deployed, in order to further reduce the level of by-catch. The fleet is not operative in winter time (biological recovery from October to January, or from November to February) which corresponds to the breeding season.
Pesce Azzurro Cefalù has an effective Chain of Custody which guarantees that no mixing occurs between approved and non-approved products.
“Fishing and processing anchovies only from approved Friend of the Sea sources is an important engagement for Pesce Azzurro Cefalù by limiting the impact that production activities may have on the environment and by preserving it,” remarks Mrs. Filippa Paternò of Pesce Azzurro Cefalù Srl.
 |
| Anchovies Mediterranea and anchovies in organic olive oil. |
“The Italian consumers are more and more demanding for sustainability and Pesce Azzurro Cefalù’s own company policy has always given highest relevance to environmental conservation and marine habitat conservation”.
 |
| Pesce Azzurro Cefalù is a leader in the Italian canned fish market. |
About Pesce Azzurro Cefalù Srl.
In the 1950s, Francesco Serio founded the Serio Company for the production and the preservation of salted anchovies. In 1979, in order to satisfy the increasing demand, the Serio joined Rosario Cascio, and a new company named Pesce Azzurro Cefalù was founded.
Today Pesce Azzurro Cefalù is a leader in the Italian canned fish market. In the beginning the company produced only local salted anchovies and sardines, by supplying the main Italian seafood brands. In the 1980s, the company significantly enlarged the product portfolio by adding anchovy fillet in oil, available in different commercial sizes.