Portuguese fishing vessel. (Photo: SRA)

Shipowners, satisfied with the aids proposed by Brussels

PORTUGAL
Friday, October 26, 2012, 01:30 (GMT + 9)

Portuguese fishing boat owners expressed satisfaction with the continuation of the aids to the fisheries sector achieved this week as part of the Council of Ministers of the European Union (EU).

Anyway, fishermen asked the national government for the fishing capacity to be adjusted to the existing resources, and also demanded more facilities for investors, Jornal de Notícias reported.

"I welcome the continuation of the support for the permanent cessation of the fishing activity and for the stoppages for biological reasons until 2017," said the secretary general of the Association of Industrial Fishing Shipowners, Antonio Cabral.

Most of the 27 fisheries ministers of the European Union (EU) agreed on the fact that the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) must finance the aid for updating, temporarily stopping and scrapping community fishing vessels.

"We welcome the decision and understand that the final regulation should be more ambitious and take measures to restructure the sector in order to reduce fishing capacity," Cabral added, according to the agency Lusa.

"The supports for the sacrifices constitute a measure we consider appropriate, not because we want to, but because the lines of orientation of the European Commission aim to adapt the existing fishing capacity to the biological resources," he continued.

Furthermore, the Minister of Agriculture of Portugal, Assunção Cristas, ensured that the country will benefit from the agreement made for the creation of the EMFF and for the regulation of state aids to the sector.

"An increase of the aids is expected for the period 2014-2020," the Portuguese minister stated.

In addition, she highlighted that it was decided that in the distribution of funds there will be "a link with the size of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and Portugal has the largest EEZ in Europe."

Related articles:

- Satisfaction with maintenance of European fleet aids
- Council agrees on 'less ambitious' measures for CFP reform, EMFF

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

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