Visiting our members: EFFOP meets with ANFACO in Spain

During its visit to Santiago de Compostela last week, EFFOP had the opportunity to meet with our Spanish colleagues at ANFACO-CYTMA to discuss areas of mutual interest and explore opportunities for closer collaboration across the marine ingredients sector.

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen the long-standing relationship between our organisations and to exchange views on the scientific, technical and regulatory challenges facing the European fishmeal and fish oil industry.

A tour of ANFACO’s facilities

As part of the visit, the EFFOP biologist, James Hinchcliffe was given a tour of ANFACO’s research and innovation facilities, showcasing the organisation’s extensive work across seafood technology, food safety, product development and analytical services.

The visit highlighted the important role that applied research and innovation continue to play in supporting a competitive and sustainable European seafood sector, while also demonstrating the breadth of expertise available within ANFACO to address emerging industry challenges.

Planning for the next EFFOP Conference

One of the key topics discussed was the next EFFOP Conference, which is scheduled to take place in June 2028 in Vigo with ANFACO as hosts.

Both organisations exchanged initial ideas on the conference programme, potential technical themes and opportunities to maximise industry participation. As one of Europe’s leading seafood research organisations, ANFACO’s expertise provides valuable opportunities to contribute to future discussions on marine ingredients, sustainability and innovation.

Shared technical priorities

The meeting also identified a number of areas where EFFOP and ANFACO share common interests and where greater collaboration could provide value for both organisations and the wider sector.

Among the topics discussed were:

• The latest developments concerning PFAS and the evolving European regulatory landscape.
• Monitoring and management of MOSH and MOAH contaminants within marine ingredients.
• The growing importance of fish oil for human consumption, including quality, safety and market developments.
• The increasing role of marine by-products in supporting circularity, resource efficiency and sustainable production.
• The continued development of certification schemes and standards to strengthen transparency, responsible sourcing and consumer confidence throughout the marine ingredients supply chain.

Building stronger European cooperation

The discussions reaffirmed that many of the challenges facing the marine ingredients sector are shared across Europe and are best addressed through collaboration between industry organisations, researchers and policymakers.

EFFOP looks forward to continuing its close cooperation with ANFACO in the coming years, identifying opportunities for joint technical initiatives, exchanging scientific knowledge and contributing to evidence-based policy discussions that support a resilient and sustainable marine ingredients sector.