The Canarian Government’s Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty Minister, Narvay Quintero, has called for a dedicated support scheme for the fishing industry, tailored to the unique needs of the Canary Islands. Speaking to EFE Agro after attending a fisheries advisory council, Quintero emphasised the importance of having a specific regulation for the region to enhance funding for smaller enterprises in the sector.
Quintero noted that these small businesses make up approximately 25% of the Canary Islands’ fishing industry but are currently struggling to secure loans linked to the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). This lack of financial access limits investment capacity for many in the sector.
He also raised concerns regarding the absence of specific evaluations for tropical and subtropical fisheries in the Canary Islands. Quintero argued that insufficient scientific data complicates the region’s entry into certain funding systems and urged for European aid mechanisms to be adapted to the fishing activities unique to the islands.
Additionally, he requested the European Commission to stop automatically linking fleet renewal to increased fishing effort, as this hampers both the modernisation of vessels and generational transition within the industry.
On agricultural matters, Quintero advocated for maintaining the current structure of agricultural support in the next European programming but called for an update of the financial plan, stating that the current amounts have not been reviewed in 19 years. He expressed that current compensations for Canary producers are outdated in relation to costs and sector needs, urging that future programming maintains the system but with revised funding to reflect current economic realities.
