QUALITALY_136

September/October 2023 III MAGAZINE of people and the environment they live in. A source that gathers the values of the Cooperative, defines its identity and inspires its growth and progress. Thus our impudent social campaign ‘Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not waste!’ becomes a verb in a resource- conscious corporate culture tout court. Work, human resources, food and the environment. All promoted in one word: ‘Qualitaly’. AT PAGE 12 FOCUS ON Blue crab: problem or opportunity? ITALIAN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL IS THE CRUSTACEAN ORIGINATING FROM THE ATLANTIC HAS INVADED OUR SHORES, BRINGING MUSSEL AND CLAM PRODUCTION TO ITS KNEES. TO STEM ITS PROLIFERATION, INTENSIVE FISHING IS BEING CALLED FOR. IT ALSO DELIVERS A PRODUCT CAPABLE OF REPRESENTING A ‘NEW’ AND PROMISING INGREDIENT FOR OUR CUISINE by Manuela Falchero It all started along the Po Delta. Then, within a few weeks, the phenomenon spread, also involving the Tyrrhenian Sea, starting from Tuscany where it hit the coasts from Orbetello, in the Grossetano area, to Marina di Pisa. But other coasts of the peninsula were not spared either, from Apulia to Abruzzo, from Lazio to Liguria, all the way to Sicily. Spurred on by climate change and warming waters, which have made our environment more suitable for its survival and proliferation, the blue crab, a species native to the western shore of the Atlantic Ocean, is now abundant in our seas, creating what Coldiretti does not hesitate to define a real ‘natural disaster’. This crustacean, which at the moment does not have to contend with any predators, is an insatiable devourer of mussels and clams, essential for fish production in many of the areas where the animal is proliferating. The result is the risk of bringing entire local economies to their knees: according to Coldiretti, in the Comacchio area alone, the survival of around 3,000 family businesses could be in danger, the death of which would lead to the disappearance of true food excellence. A prospect to be avoided, because it would mean a new and certainly not desirable blow to the Italian fishing industry, which, Coldiretti continues, ‘in the space of thirty years has already seen the disappearance of 33% of enterprises and as many as 18,000 jobs, with an overall fleet reduced to just 12,000 units. To demonstrate the seriousness of the issue is proved by the decision, taken by the government during the summer, to approve a decree-law allocating 2.9 million euro ‘to provide economic incentives to those involved in catching and disposing of the blue crab’, with the declared aim of ‘strategically sheltering the sector in the coming years’. Additionally, under the direction of Carlo Scabin , president of the Agro, Fishing, Milling and Zootechnical Section of Confindustria Veneto Est, an agreement was also reached on the matter of disposal. “This is something that represents a prohibitive cost for the companies,” says Scabin, “and one that we have sought to contain thanks to the involvement of a leading industry company in the Veneto region, which guarantees the Scardovari fishermen’s consortium a price of 0.15 euro per kilo (including transport) compared to the 0.25 euro spent until today. It must be said, however, that despite this relief, costs remain high. And unfortunately the overall problem is getting worse’. A NEW SUPPLY CHAIN It is true, however, that an opportunity may arise from this undeniable problem. ‘Among its properties,’ says the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, ‘the blue crab boasts a strong presence of vitamin B12, which is extremely valuable for the human organism. And these properties can become a very significant element’. They may, in short, prove useful in introducing blue crab to our tables. As, in fact, is already the case in the United States and China, where, the Minister emphasises, ‘this animal is used in cooking on a massive scale’. We can, therefore, take a cue from what is happening in these countries, to activate the trade of this crustacean in Italy too, and thus naturally create a new supply chain. It is, in essence, a matter of working on two fronts at the same time: on the one hand, combating the excessive presence of blue crab in our seas, and on the other, transforming this crustacean into an ingredient of our cuisine. VALUABLE ‘ALLY’ IN THE KITCHEN The above is more than possible. Indeed, recipes and suggestions from cooks and chefs to transform the ‘killer of the seas’ into a delicacy for the palate are all the rage on the web: ranging from blue crab with rosemary to Venetian-style crab salad to spaghetti with garlic sautéed with crab. And there is no shortage of pizza either, since a well-known name like Gino Sorbillo announced on Instagram the arrival on his menu of an ad hoc variant, a ‘white’ version for which he uses fiordilatte, Carlo Scabin , presidente della Sezione Agro, Ittico, Molitorie e Zootecniche di Confindustria Veneto Est