In a visit to Le Guilvinec, France’s Minister of Fisheries Catherine Chabaud told the industry that she came to ‘listen, with no subject taboo’ in a ‘port that perfectly represents the challenges faced by fishermen,’ and stressed the ministry is open to dialogue.
Fishermen have accepted the emergency measures announced to support them to cope with soaring fuel prices. This is set at €0.20 per litre in April, rising to €0.35 in May, with compensation based on companies’ overall consumption, on receipt of a paid invoice.
‘There’s no silver bullet for decarbonisation,’ the minister commented, speaking to the Brittany Fisheries Committees and their partners who outlined their positions, particularly in relation to the future of the region’s fishing industry.
The industry representatives expressed their failure to comprehend the government’s recentæy announced electrification plan, stating that ther ehas been work ongoing for some years towards getting away from fossil fuels – with projects such as Hyba and Sirene, in which serious solutions are already being explored. The minister was told that these are failing to make headway, due to a lack of determined political and administrative support.
‘We have to remove the regulatory obstacles to fleet renewal to make concrete progress on their energy transition. This requires better consideration of the realities of the fishing industry, allowing for the modernisation of every aspect of the vessel, not just its engine, without preconceived notions about which technology should be prioritised,’ the committee and its partners stated at the meeting with Catherine Chabaud.
The Bay of Biscay closure was discussed, and industry representatives stated that a 2027 closure has to be regarded as out of the question, unless it is proportionate and phased in over time, so as not to disrupt supply chains and also to allow vessels to train their efforts to limit bycatch.
As the meeting turned to maritime planning the focus was on the offshore wind farm project off the coast of north-west Brittany, which industry representatives described as being placed in an area that has a major impact on local fishing efforts. They want to see an impact study on the consequences of this decision must now be carried out to ensure continuing activity in the area, as the Brittany Region had already expressly stated.
