Circular Tourism

Albania

Auberge de la Marine and Mister Goodfish Programme

SECTION 1: BASIC INFORMATION

SECTION 2: PRACTICE OVERVIEW

  • Short Description of the Practice :

L’Auberge de la Marine, led by chef Pascal Lefebvre in Le Crotoy, builds its culinary offer around responsibly sourced seafood, favouring locally sourced produce and day-to-day seasonality. The restaurant works directly with local fishermen to prioritise fresh, traceable catches and to avoid out-of-season or overexploited species. As an adherent of the Mr.Goodfish programme—a European initiative launched in 2010 by aquariums in France, Italy and Spain to encourage more sustainable seafood consumption—the kitchen follows practical guidelines designed to protect marine resources. The programme publishes quarterly lists of recommended species, based on scientific assessments of stock health, size, and fishing methods. These lists help chefs, retailers, and consumers choose fish and shellfish that are abundant and responsibly caught, while avoiding those under ecological stress. By using these seasonal species lists, along with educational tools and menu guidance, the restaurant aligns purchases with sustainable fishing practices. The main objectives are to reduce ecological pressure on marine stocks, strengthen local coastal economies, minimise supply-chain emissions through proximate sourcing, and deliver high-quality, locally rooted cuisine. In practice this means the menu adapts to what is sustainably available, kitchen technique maximises whole-product use to limit waste, and guest communication explains provenance and seasonality. The approach combines culinary excellence with clear environmental standards and offers a replicable model for coastal hospitality businesses who are seeking to marry taste, transparency and sustainability.

  • Implementation Period: 2005 - ongoing
  • Status:

[   ] Planned [   ] Pilot phase [   ] Fully implemented [X] Ongoing and evolving

  • Thematic Areas Addressed:

[X] Farm to Fork / Sustainable Food Systems
[X] Waste Management
[X] Resource Efficiency

  • Describe how the practice aligns with the selected Thematic Areas.

Auberge de la Marine’s commitment is seen through sourcing seafood responsibly through the Mr.Goodfish programme. By carefully selecting species that are abundant, caught during the right season, and have the right size the restaurant helps prevent overfishing and reduces pressure on vulnerable marine stocks, ensuring that natural resources are not depleted. This approach maximises the efficiency of existing marine resources by promoting their sustainable use, rather than exhausting them. In addition, sourcing locally and seasonally reduces the distance between production and consumption, and thus decreases the energy used to transport and cold storage.

  • Explain how this activity fits within the tourism sector.

As a restaurant, Auberge de la Marine seamlessly fits within the tourism sector by turning responsible seafood sourcing into a distinctive part of the visitor experience. As a coastal restaurant that works directly with local fishermen, and as a member of the Mr.Goodfish programme, it offers traceable ingredients, seasonal dishes that tell a story about place, craft and conservation. This enhances destination appeal and its storytelling for food-oriented travellers, supports local supply chains, and creates memorable, authenticity-based experiences that can be marketed by tour operators, hotels and guides. The adaptive menu based on availability of products becomes an attraction in itself, encouraging longer stays and premium pricing, while transparency about provenance and sustainability builds trust and guest loyalty.

  • What learning value for VET training, curriculum development or capacity-building of professionals does the practice offer ?

Auberge de la Marine offers rich, practice-oriented learning value for VET and professional capacity building by turning responsible seafood sourcing into teachable skills. Trainees can learn supplier mapping and procurement, using tools like Mr.Goodfish seasonal lists to choose sustainable species and agree seasonal delivery calendars with local fishermen. The practice can teach them how to negotiate and how to build relationships of trust with these local suppliers. In the kitchen, students practice whole-product use, preservation (smoking, curing, confits), recipe adaptation for lesser-known species, portioning and waste reduction, skills that are essential to any hospitality businesses that seek to develop their sustainable practices. The practice is equally relevant for professionals who work with fish products and would like to improve the sustainability record of their hotels and restaurants.

SECTION 3: CHALLENGES AND ALIGNMENT WITH CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRINCIPLES

  • What challenges or barriers were addressed (based on the report findings)?

[X] Waste management and disposal
[X] Energy/resource use
[   ] Infrastructure limitations
[X] Seasonality
[X] Skills and capacity gaps
[X] Low awareness of CE
[X] Behavioural resistance
[   ] Financial or funding constraints
[   ] Other : ________________________________

  • How were these challenges overcome?

Based on the restaurant’s structural measures like short food supply chains, Mr.Goodfish membership, whole-product use and explicit aims to limit water and waste, seasonality is managed through flexible, day-to-day menu planning and close supplier relations. The chef adapts dishes to what local fishermen caught, uses Mr.Goodfish seasonal lists to avoid pressured species, and valorises lesser-known catches. Energy and resource use are tackled by combining behavioural and technical measures. In the kitchen this means water-saving practices and maximising whole-product usage. The restaurant also reduces transport emissions through local sourcing and uses efficient operations to cut refrigeration and cooking loads.

  • Which circular economy strategies does this practice address?

[X] Waste reduction / reuse / recycling
[   ] Renewable energy / energy efficiency
[   ] Water conservation
[   ] Circular product/service design
[X] Sustainable food systems / short food chains
[X] Eco-certifications or green standards
[   ] Repair, refurbishment, or reuse of infrastructure/furnishings
[   ] Digital tools for circularity or sustainability

  • Describe why this practice can be considered as a ‘best practice’ and how it contributes to one or more circular economy principles:

Auberge de la Marine as a best practice combines culinary excellence with practical, verifiable stewardship of marine resources, and because its methods are transparent, replicable and directly linked to circular economy principles. By sourcing from local fishermen and by following Mr.Goodfish seasonal guidance, the restaurant shortens supply chains, reduces transport emissions and avoids pressure on overexploited stocks. In the kitchen, whole-product use, preservation techniques and creative menu engineering minimise waste and extend the value of each fish that is used. It also offers clear learning and marketing value, since provenance and seasonality are communicated to guests, strengthening local supply chains and building demand for sustainable seafood while strengthening the business’ storytelling and image. The Auberge de la Marine can serve as a practical blueprint for coastal hospitality seeking to align taste with ecological resilience and sustainability in the long term.

  • Describe why this practice can be considered as innovative. What new, creative or underused approach brings added value to circular tourism development ?

Auberge de la Marine can be described as innovative because of the way it marries sustainability and circular economy principles with a genuine fine dining experience, as proven by the recommendation in the Michelin guide. Instead of treating sustainability as a marketing stunt or a burden, the restaurant integrates it into menu creation itself, turning sustainable sourcing of ingredients into a key part of the gastronomic experience. The creative twist lies in aligning menus with the Mr. Goodfish programme, mixing dining with clear scientific and practical guidance. By treating seasonality as a tool for resource preservation, the restaurant reframes what gastronomy does not have to mean abundance at any cost, but careful selection, traceability and respect for marine ecosystems while still offering an unforgettable culinary experience to its clients. This innovative reframing adds value to circular tourism development by showing how restaurants can become educators, storytellers and help guard local ecosystems while still delivering a memorable visitor experience.

SECTION 4: COLLABORATION

  • Describe any collaboration that were involved in the development of this practice ? Did this practice involve local authorities or other groups?

The practice is built on strong collaborations that reinforce its credibility and impact. Auberge de la Marine is a committed member of the Mr. Goodfish programme, which provides science-based recommendations on responsible seafood sourcing. This collaboration ensures that every menu choice aligns with ecological preservation and seasonal balance, while also giving the restaurant access to expert knowledge and communication tools. In parallel, the restaurant is an active member of Baie de Somme Zéro Carbone, a local network of tourism professionals committed to reducing their environmental footprint. This partnership situates the practice within a wider community of businesses working toward shared sustainability goals, amplifying its visibility and impact. Together, these collaborations help the restaurant to not only refine its sourcing practices, but also to engage in collective, local storytelling about sustainable tourism, demonstrating how individual businesses can contribute to regional transformation.

SECTION 5: RESULTS AND REPLICABILITY

  • What measurable results or outcomes were achieved?

Auberge de la Marine demonstrates that environmental responsibility and gastronomic excellence can go hand in hand. The restaurant’s commitment to sustainable seafood sourcing, guided by the Mr. Goodfish programme, has not only reduced its ecological footprint but also translated into high-level culinary recognition. The establishment has been recommended by the Michelin Guide and Gault&Millau, two respected authorities in the culinary world.

These distinctions serve as measurable outcomes that prove sustainability is not contradictory to creativity and quality. The restaurant has strengthened its reputation as a reference point for responsible gastronomy in the Baie de Somme region, attracting visitors who seek both authenticity and excellence. By showing that sustainable choices can lead to critical acclaim and market differentiation, Auberge de la Marine provides a replicable example for other businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector.

  • Why is this practice relevant to the Albanian tourism context?

This practice is highly relevant to the Albanian tourism context because Albania has a long coastline where seafood is a key part of the culinary tourism offer. However, growing demand from visitors puts pressure on marine resources, and unsustainable fishing practices risk damaging ecosystems and the image of coastal destinations.

The example of Auberge de la Marine shows that sustainable seafood sourcing is not only possible but can be turned into a competitive advantage, attracting tourists who value authenticity, quality, and environmental responsibility. For Albania, adopting similar practices through partnerships with local fishermen and awareness-raising programmes could both protect marine biodiversity and strengthen its tourism brand as a sustainable destination. By linking gastronomy with circular economy principles and responsible sourcing, Albanian restaurants and hotels could stand out in the very competitive market of hospitality businesses.

  • What is the practice’s potential for further expansion ? How can it be applied or adapted to other Albanian tourism destinations or businesses ?

The practice of responsible seafood sourcing has strong potential for expansion, as it can be applied across a wide range of Albanian tourism businesses, especially along the coastline. where fish and seafood are central to local cuisine. Even if the take up is not at a national level, local initiatives could raise awareness and drive the necessary change. Restaurants, hotels, and beach resorts could adopt similar approaches by building partnerships with local fishermen, promoting seasonal species, and avoiding overexploited stocks. This model can also be adapted inland by focusing on other local food resources, thereby reinforcing the connection between gastronomy and sustainability. For example, working with “ugly” vegetables that otherwise go to waste. For expansion, Albanian stakeholders could establish collaborations with certification programmes or adapt the Mr.Goodfish approach to the regional context, providing restaurants with practical guidance and communication tools. The approach is highly scalable because it requires more awareness and coordination than heavy investment, making it accessible for small businesses while collectively strengthening the sustainable reputation of Albanian destinations.

  • What advice would you give others looking to implement a similar initiative?

To implement a similar initiative, businesses should start by building strong partnerships with certified sustainable seafood programmes like Mr. Goodfish, or local organisations promoting responsible fishing. Training the staff on seasonal availability, species selection, and preparation techniques that reduce waste and maximise product value is also an important aspect; as well as communicating the business’ commitment to guests through menus, storytelling, and staff interactions, turning sustainability into part of the dining experience. And most importantly, a business should align its sustainability goals with its culinary identity, demonstrating that high-quality cuisine and eco-conscious practices can coexist, boosting reputation, customer trust, and long-term resilience.