Fishermen preparing to set sail from the port of Cadiz. (Photo: Terje Engoe)

Galician fisheries and aquaculture socioeconomic importance confirmed

SPAIN
Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 04:10 (GMT + 9)

A survey commissioned by the Galician government, through exact figures, yielded the image of the situation and the socio-economic importance of fisheries and aquaculture in Galicia.

The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Rural and Marine Affairs of Xunta de Galicia in order to gather information related to the local fisheries-aquaculture sector.

The initiative, known as Ocupesca Project, was led by the Analysis and Record Service of the Secretariat, and it was performed in collaboration with various organizations specializing in the work field and statistical analysis.

The Galician government expects that the results of the survey serve as a guide when making fairer and more balanced decisions as to fisheries policy.

A piece of information confirming the study is the high percentage of jobs – directly – generated by the Galician fishing fleet operating in the national fishing grounds, particularly in the Cantabrian-Northwest one, which represents 80 per cent of total jobs.

This sector has 12,552 crew members and in 2010 it recorded a turnover of almost EUR 680 million, mainly obtained by selling seafood at the auctions.

With regard to the employment status, the survey reveals that 66 per cent is employed and 33 per cent work on their own.

Meanwhile, 90 per cent of the employed population lives in the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra, and the remaining 10 per cent lives in Lugo.

As for the workers’ age, more than half are between 35 and 54 years old.

The study commissioned by the Regional Government also indicates that over 85 per cent of the crew members are of Spanish nationality while the most represented foreign nationalities were Peruvian and Indonesian.

Furthermore, the survey revealed that in the field of aquaculture, the number of workers on the platforms, and in farming parks and breeding centres in 2011 was 6,432 people.

Out of that total, 77 per cent are staff working on the platforms.

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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