(ANSA) - MILAN, OCTOBER 19 - Environmental sustainability and the use of new technologies to boost the fishing industry is at the centre of a congress on 'Fish products, quality and health' held at Milan Expo 2015 as part of the week dedicated to the Sicilian region. Organized by the Institute for coastal sea environment from national research institute Cnr, in cooperation with the department of fishing and agriculture of the Sicilian region, the coordination of Sicilian universities and the productive district of Mazara del Vallo through the Sprint Sicilia agency, the workshop focused on speeches by Italian and international experts and entrepreneurs in the fishing sector.

The event was attended by, among others, the director general of the councillor for productive activities Alessandro Ferrara and a manager for the service of productive districts of the Sicilian region Dario Tornabene.

The president of the Sicilian fishing district Giovanni Tumbiolo presented the project 'New routes: Blue economy' started in Sicily with European funds, with the participation of many scientific partners working to support the innovation of companies with new technology to improve the quality and safety of products. The issue was discussed last week at Blue Sea Land, the Expo of the food industry districts of the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East, organized by the Sicilian fishing district in Mazara del Vallo. According to Tumbiolo, ''work over the past years in the fishing sector carried out by Sicily will provide concrete aid to Expo's themes. The socio-economic model of Blue Economy - he added - suits rising economies of the wider Mediterranean and African countries and cab ne a model of development to be shared with emerging countries''.

''The sector can have new impulse only in this way, from the sea to transformation and health education for consumers'', he concluded.

(ANSA).