Furthermore, for thousands of years, seafood has been the main resource for coastal development, and the reason behind the maritime foundation of Andean civilization. The recent culinary boom has created a constant and high demand of resources that has itself triggered a growing socio-economic force. This new market situation benefits many poor people, especially fishermen and farmers, for whom gastronomy is the perfect opportunity to increase their incomes and raise out of poverty.

However, seafood is the last wild resource we take advantage off and special regulations must be implemented in order to assure sustainability. Involving key stakeholders related to gastronomy and seafood is crucial for effective coastal and marine stewardship and to secure the sustainability of marine resources’ use. In order to reach a sustainable use of seafood, it is crucial to determine the knowledge and comprehend the attitudes and practices of the related stakeholders. This study will deliver the first baseline of knowledge, attitudes and practices of chefs towards marine ecosystems and seafood choices in Peru. This baseline will enable us to identify information gaps, attitudes and misconceptions in daily practices of chefs and their relationship with seafood.

This information could then be linked to ongoing campaigns or used to develop strategies seeking to increase the knowledge of, or change behaviours directed to, marine ecosystems and their resources in Peru. Moreover, their effectiveness could be measured by monitoring changes in the parameters considered in this project. The long lasting idea of this project is to forge a community of citizens that care for their environment, empowered to start participating in the appropriate management of the marine ecosystem.