Last April, Biella was the setting for an awareness campaign on the sustainability of seafood products, aimed at the youngest audiences. Around 600 children aged between 7 and 9, pupils from five different primary schools in the Piedmontese province, were able to take part in the interesting initiative promoted by Friend of the Sea in collaboration with ConsuMare Giusto. The aim was to illustrate the concept of sustainability as applied to the world of fishing, describing the damage that unregulated fishing causes and the solutions each of us can put in place to help improve the situation. Over the course of an hour and a half of workshop activities, the children were able to experience, through role play and dramatised scenarios, what it means to make sustainable choices — both as consumers and as users of the marine environment in general. Taking on the roles of restaurateurs, consumers or fishermen in turn, they went shopping, sat down to dinner, and went fishing on large ocean-going vessels or on small traditional boats. By transporting, comparing choices and fishing gear, they learned about the parameters of ecosystem respect, waste reduction and the conservation of environments for future generations. In this way they were able to discover what lies behind a restaurant menu or at the bottom of a supermarket trolley, while exploring the meaning of words such as "biodiversity", "risk of extinction", "protected area" and "ecosystem balance". "Activities set up in this way are very effective," was the unanimous comment from the teachers. Through direct experience, the children come to understand perfectly how, by choosing what to buy or what to eat, they are able to influence the choices of producers, and thus contribute to preserving precious resources. Through play, they discover what lies behind a tin of tuna or a trout bearing the Friend of the Sea logo, and their feedback is remarkable. Friend of the Sea, a certification programme for fish and seafood products from sustainable fishing and aquaculture, is no stranger to information and awareness-raising initiatives on the subject of fishing and aquaculture. "It is essential to educate the next generations and inform them about the possible environmental impact of these activities, so that one day they can steer the choices of producers," commented Paolo Bray, Director and founder of the Association. "In ConsuMare Giusto, we have certainly found the ideal partner." ConsuMare Giusto has been active since 2007, particularly in the Piedmont region, carrying out consultancy and outreach activities to promote sustainability in the fishing sector and acting as a trait d'union between producer and consumer.