Salt Takes Centre Stage at the 'Encuentro de los Mares' in Tenerife

Today, a grand public meal at Los Cristianos beach marks the opening of the seventh edition of the 'Encuentro de los Mares' in Tenerife. This unique congress brings together key voices from the marine world: from chefs like Ángel León to scientists such as Carlos Duarte, and fishermen like Galicia's Roberto Rodríguez and Cádiz's Emilio Marín. This year, the programme focuses on salt, not only as a seasoning but as a regulator of ocean balance, an economic resource, and a cultural symbol. Over 50 professionals from various fields—from oceanography to the art of grilling—participate in a programme that combines technical conferences, culinary workshops, natural environment experiences, and a public day open to the public. All with the aim of strengthening the connection between marine ecosystems and those who depend on them.

This time, the congress opens from the beach with a citizen event that includes the First 'Encuentro a Nado de los Mares', a swim between Los Cristianos and Los Tarajales beaches, featuring swimmers from the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Yacht Club, the Ámate breast cancer association, and ultradistance swimmer Christian Jongeneel, a world reference in long-distance crossings. Throughout the day, the coast will also host a programme of gastronomic activities: a live tuna cutting directed by Tenerife chef Juan Carlos Clemente, a marine sausage masterclass by Ángel León, and a food fair offering tastings at popular prices. Local chefs such as Pedro Nel (Etéreo), Jesús Marrero (El Ancla), Samuel Hernández (Zoco), and Alberto Margallo (San Sebastián 57) will participate, along with peninsular figures like Miguel Barrera, a Michelin star in Castellón with his restaurant Cal Paradís.

However, the main focus of the 'Encuentro' is on the technical sessions that will take place in the coming days, featuring lectures and demonstrations centred around salt as the thematic axis. The congress will address issues such as the origin of sea salt, its role in climate change, ocean salinisation, industrial and food applications, and the potential of algae as a new saline source. Among the speakers are prominent marine scientists like Carlos Duarte, considered one of the world's most influential oceanographers, recently awarded the Japan Prize for his work in blue ecosystem conservation; and Xabier Irigoyen, a global authority on mesopelagic fish. Local researchers such as Pedro Pascual, Enrique Lozano, and Alonso Hernández Guerra will also participate. Joining them is architect Alberto Luengo, specialising in the restoration of traditional salt flats in the Canary Islands.

The culinary aspect of the programme will feature interventions from chefs like Ángel León (Aponiente***), who will present the latest advances in the edible ecosystem of the Aponiente marsh; Moreno Cedroni (La Madonnina del Pescatore**, Italy), who works with fish bones as the main raw material; Christopher Haatuft (Lysverket*, Norway); Hideki Matsuhisa (Koy Shunka*, Barcelona); and Gil Fernandes (Fortaleza do Guincho*, Portugal), who will discuss algae as a key ingredient. Also present will be notable figures from Spanish cuisine such as Luis Valls (El Poblet**), Juanlu Fernández (LÚ Cocina y Alma**), Sergio Ortiz de Zárate (Zárate*), Áxel Smyth (Simpar*), Diego Schattenhofer (Taste 1973*), and the duo Rosa Macías and Paco Martín (Bar FM, Granada), known for their work with grilled fish.

The Sartún Prize 2025, which recognises commitment to the defence of the sea and marine ecosystems, will this time be awarded to the Basque chef Aitor Arregi, the soul of Elkano in Getaria, an absolute reference in grilled fish cuisine and heir to a family tradition linked to the sea since the 1960s. Arregi thus joins a list of awardees that includes National Geographic, Alexandra Cousteau, and Daniel Pauly.

The 'Encuentro de los Mares' extends beyond the kitchen. There will be round tables on nutrition, health, and sustainable fishing, featuring voices such as nutritionist Aránzazu Aparicio Vizuete (UCM), fishermen like Roberto Rodríguez (Galicia), Emilio Marín (Cádiz), or Tenerife's Gilberto Sánchez and Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez, and the institutional intervention of Isabel Artime, Secretary General of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture. One of the most anticipated moments will be the presentation of the project led by Xabier Agote, which reconstructs the 16th-century Basque whaler San Juan, sunk in Canada and archaeologically rescued. The replica, built at the Albaola shipyard (Pasajes) using historical methods and native wood, will be in the water after the summer.

With this seventh edition, the 'Encuentro de los Mares' consolidates its role as a platform for dialogue between sectors that live from the sea and think about the sea. Not as a resource in crisis, but as a space for innovation, resilience, and future. Salt is not just a mere seasoning; it is the starting point.