Andalucía offers 6.4-million-euro compensation to fishing industry for stoppages

The Andalusian regional government's agriculture, fisheries, water and rural development department has published in the Junta de Andalucía's official bulletin (BOJA) a new call for aid to compensate for the temporary cessation of fishing in the region's waters with a series of subsidies, with a total budget of 6.37 million euros. The funding comes from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

The department's spokesperson, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, said that "the aim of this aid is to alleviate the economic losses that the temporary interruption of the sector's activity entails, while promoting the sustainable management of fishing resources".

The subsidies are aimed at both boat owners and crew members with a home port in Andalucía, as well as fishermen who can account for a minimum of 120 days spent at sea in the two years prior to the application.

In the case of the shellfish fleet that catch octopus off the Andalusian Mediterranean coast or in the Gulf of Cadiz, at least 100 days of activity, with a minimum volume of catches of 2,000 kilos in the last two years must be demonstrated. For the stoppage to be eligible, it must have lasted at least five consecutive days. In addition, if there are compulsory rest days within this period, these will also be taken into account for the purposes of the calculation.

Applications should be submitted during the last ten working days of the corresponding temporary cessation, except for those relating to the surface longline fleet fishing in the Mediterranean fishing areas. In these cases, they shall be submitted within ten working days from the day following publication in the BOJA.

With this new call, "the Andalusian regional government reaffirms its commitment to the protection and sustainability of the Andalusian fishing sector, an indispensable sector for the economic and social development of Andalucía," the Junta de Andalucía spokesperson said.