The Spanish fisheries sector, bodies representing the aquaculture and trade segments as well as the catching sector, have requested a meeting with Minister Luis Planas so they can make clear the challenges they face.
These organisations claim that they are facing a crisis in the making that threatens Spanish and European food production as a whole.
The fishing sector has already expressed its support for Spanish farmers, and has confirmed that it will join in a demonstration in Madrid on 26th February, timed to coincide with the Council of EU Ministers (Agrifish).
According to Spanish fishing industry body Cepesca, the intention is to stand with farmers in protesting against the European Commission’s environmentalist obsession, administrative complexity, unfair competition from third countries and the lack of incentives.
It also aims to draw attention to real challenges, such as the dramatic reduction in fish consumption and the government ignoring repeated requests for VAT reductions to provide incentives.
Cepesca’s position is that the fishing sector wants to make it clear to Luis Planas that this is a turning point and a constitution of a new European Parliament must mean that the continent does not lose food sovereignty and the capacity to feed its citizens.
A spokesman for Cepesca commented that it is not concealing the fact that it has maintained a constructive relationship with the Minister in recent years, but is asking the government to defend in Europe the interests of the fishing sector, in which Spain is a leader, not only in terms of volume of catches and aquaculture production, but also for its sustainability and good practices, which even environmental organisations recognise.
