Despite the Spanish Government claiming that “Spain achieves a good result in the fishing negotiation”, the sentiment locally in Santa Pola does not reflect such positivity.
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, explained the “long and difficult fishing negotiation” that closed in Brussels earlier in the week, in which Spain has achieved a “good result” for the fleet. A “very good” result for some species, even “historic”, such as the southern hake, in the Atlantic.
Planas explained that “in complicated circumstances, Spain has managed to increase catches and managed to limit the reduction in days of fishing effort.” Very positive results have been achieved in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean “a tough battle has been fought. Despite the drastic cuts in the initial proposal, there have been improvements”, but “it is not positive for Spain. We voted against it”, the minister has assured.
Spain has also been granted an increase in the quotas in UK waters, seen as Spain as a positive step post-Brexit.
However, the Mayor of Santa Pola, Loreto Serrano, has strongly criticised the agreement of the fisheries ministers of the European Union (EU) for the Total Allowable Catches (TAC) and quotas for 2023.
This agreement, which reduces fishing days by 7% for the bulk of the Santa Pola fleet, represents a new nonsense and even more difficulties for the sector and their families. The 170 days set for 2022 is further reduced.
Loreto Serrano stressed that “the agreement is very detrimental to the Mediterranean fleet” and has lamented “the failure of the Government of Spain with fishing in the Mediterranean since year after year the days of fishing are reduced and fishermen are repeatedly harmed”.
The Mayor of Santa Pola recalled that fishermen are a group that is going through many difficulties, to which cuts in 2022, we will have to add those of 2023 with 10/15 more days moored in port, the price of fuel, the reduction of the catches. It is a punished sector that little by little they are leaving without a present and without a future. In Santa Pola many families depend on fishing, so from the Town Hall and in coordination with the Fishermen’s Guild we will be at your disposal for everything you need and with what we can help from the Consistory”.
