The Spanish Government has distributed nearly 4.8 million euros among the autonomous communities today to finance the temporary stoppages of the fishing fleet in 2024.
Therefore, the Government finances 30% of the needs presented by the communities, with the remaining 70% covered by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).
The agreement refers to the purse seine, longline, and trawl fishing modalities in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Cádiz.
Of the 4,783,361 euros, over 2 million euros will go to Andalusia, 1.68 million euros to Catalonia, nearly 790,000 euros to the Valencian Community, and more than 300,000 euros to the Region of Murcia.
Also, the calendar of temporary fishing stoppages eligible for financing from the EMFF this year has been agreed upon.
On the other hand, Luis Planas, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, has recalled that the autonomous communities have agreed to limit the subsidized period to a maximum of 52 days for the year 2024.
According to the Ministry, the maximum of 22 subsidiary days established in the Sectoral Conference for trawling in the Mediterranean is considered additional to the 30 days already approved by the resolution of the General Secretariat of Fisheries for the reduction of fishing efforts.
Moreover, at the request of Catalonia and Galicia, temporary stoppages for various fishing modalities in their coastal waters have been included in their financial plans.
The Spanish fishing fleet was authorized in May to recover 6,116 fishing days, which will benefit 563 vessels. This translated into nearly two more weeks of activity.