Chronology of a conflict
December 2
Publication of the European Commission’s proposal for the regulation of fishing in 2025. A regulation that would mean the virtual disappearance of the trawling method in the Western Mediterranean, because it proposes a 79% reduction in fishing days. This means that fishing can only be carried out on 27 days a year.
December 9 and 10
The proposal is discussed by European ministers at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels. In parallel, the sector organizes 2 days of strikes and protests in the affected ports, in front of the Ministry in Madrid and at the European headquarters in Brussels. This achieves significant media coverage and unanimous support from Spanish administrations and political representatives.
Early morning of December 11
The Fisheries Ministers of the European Union reach an agreement in principle regarding the European Commission’s proposal. To cushion this cut and ensure the survival of the fleet, a compensation mechanism has been used which allows the current days of activity to be maintained in exchange for the application by the fleet of certain environmental measures.
From now on
The problem is that some of the environmental measures required, may involve economic investments that are difficult to comply with, especially within the required time frame: 6 months. Such an economically demanding change must be able to be applied progressively and formulas must be provided for fishermen to be able to assume them.
“It is not a good agreement”
The EU regulations were already being applied, and I do not believe that this agreement is the definitive solution to the problem. The new requirements could make these 130 days of work in trawling unprofitable, which is why there will be new mobilizations and protests in the sector in the future. Fishermen demand a roadmap and a working table, where scientific, economic and technological aspects are considered to assess the investment to be made to improve trawling.
On the other hand, aid to shipowners and sailors arrives “late and badly”. We have been suffering from this for a decade and they ask for it to be expedited. For example, the stops (biological bans) are paid 10 months later.
The fisherman is the first interested in taking care of fishing. It is their way of life. Fishing has to be more and more sustainable and for some time now, the sector has been adapting to this objective, implementing voluntary measures, such as:
1. Fishing days of less than 12 hours, from going out to sea to arriving at port to sell the catches; five days a week.
2. Annual biological bans of more than 50 days.
3. Fishing exclusion zones (permanent reserves).
4. Technical measures for more selective fishing gear.
5. Active participation in campaigns and with NGOs for environmental cleanliness and conservation.
José Manuel Juárez, Chief Patron of the Barcelona Fishermen’s Guild
Only 27 days of fishing a year!
The European Commission’s measure would mean the disappearance of the 565 vessels engaged in trawling on the Mediterranean coast and the destruction of 17,000 jobs: 3,000 direct on board and 14,000 indirect. Many of these families have been dedicating to fishing for generations.
