Fishermen in Brittany took advantage of the opportunity to voice their concerns to Loïg Chesnais-Girard, president of the Brittany region during a visit to Lorient.
Loïg Chesnais Girard reaffirmed his support for a sector that is vital and emblematic of the Breton economy and of European food sovereignty. He highlighted the investments made to revitalise port infrastructure (more than €52 million since 2017), as well as to promote Breton seafood products, notably through a proactive public procurement policy.
Discussions focused primarily on the urgent need to accelerate the renewal of the fishing fleet, which now has an average age of 32 years, and on adapting vessels to enable safer operations and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.
‘A new boat uses 25% less diesel,’ stated Loïg Chesnais Girard, who two years ago initiated the Breizh Up fund to better support the decarbonisation of fishing vessels and recruitment to the industry.
All the stakeholders agreed that the removal of technical and financial barriers, at the national and community level, is essential to kick-start an effective transition and to sustain the thousands of jobs linked to the sea.
This visit to Lorient-Keroman has made it possible to reaffirm the commitment of the Brittany region alongside the Breton fishing industry, while highlighting the aspiration to build with them the necessary solutions to ensure a sustainable and attractive future for an industry that respects the resource and is resilient to climate change.
