From April 21 to 23, Sandra Ceballos Santos, researcher at the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change at ESCI-UPF, participated in the 1st Iberian Congress on Small-Scale Fisheries (Congreso Ibérico de Pesquerías Artesanales – CIPA 2026), held at the Paraninfo of the Palacio de la Magdalena in Santander, Cantabria.
The CIPA 2026 congress brought together over one hundred experts from science, the fishing sector, and public administrations across Spain and Portugal, highlighting a key message: the future of fisheries depends on how effectively knowledge, stakeholders, and systems are connected.
During the event, Sandra Ceballos Santos presented the poster “Sustaining Blue Foods through the Water–Energy–Food Nexus: Insights from the Atlantic Area”, developed within the SMART-FOODPRINT project and building on previous work from the NEPTUNUS project (University of Cantabria).
The congress addressed key challenges and opportunities for small-scale fisheries:
Integrating the social dimension of sustainability
Small-scale fisheries are closely linked to cultural identity and traditional knowledge, requiring interdisciplinary approaches to fully understand their complexity.
Strengthening science–sector collaboration
Advances in data (GPS, AIS), modelling (SS3, sdmTMB), and AI are improving fisheries management. However, their success depends on collaboration with fishers, who contribute essential knowledge.
Improving traceability and consumption transparency
Mislabeling remains a major issue, with less than 50% of products correctly labelled at retail and around 10% in restaurants, affecting consumer trust and sustainability.
Adapting to climate change impacts
Marine heatwaves, species shifts, and invasive species are already affecting fisheries. The proliferation of macroalgae, for example, is increasing operational challenges while also opening potential circular-economy opportunities.
Addressing governance and economic challenges
Regulatory frameworks often do not reflect operational realities, while high certification costs (e.g., FIPs exceeding $600,000) and limited market involvement highlight structural inefficiencies in the value chain.
Recognising the role of women in fisheries
Women play a key role across the sector, although their contributions remain underrecognised. The documentary “Mujeres de la Mar” (2015) offers a powerful reflection of their role.
In her reflections, Ceballos Santos highlighted the disconnect between production, trade, and consumption patterns in the seafood sector. “From a Life Cycle Assessment perspective, this gap is particularly concerning,” she noted, “especially considering that more than 50% of seafood consumption in Spain relies on processed or frozen products, which adds further environmental impacts along the value chain.”
The event, organised by the Santander Oceanographic Centre (IEO-CSIC) with institutional support from regional and local authorities, provided an important platform for scientific exchange and cooperation on marine sustainability.
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