Spain: The Ministry of Rural and Marine Affairs of the Xunta de Galicia will deliver aid for EUR 9.5 million for scrapping Galician offshore vessels throughout this year.
This amount is similar to that provided in 2012, when it amounted to EUR 9.9 million.
 |
Fishing vessels scrapping. (Photo: Magma)
|
The vessels will have to have a minimum fishing activity of 90 fishing days in each of the two 12-month periods preceding the application date for the permanent cessation or 120 fishing days during the 12 months preceding the presentation date of the application for a permanent cessation.
The fishermen of the Gran Sol fleet from A Coruña claim that they are undergoing a "bad situation," so they have chosen to stop their activity.
Anyway, maritime workers admit they have "very little chance," since one of the criteria for access to subsidies is the old age of the ship, reports La Opinión.
Only half of the fleet from A Coruña that operates in EU fishing grounds is over 10 years old.
The aids are funded by the European Fisheries Fund (EFF), -- 75 per cent -, and the Member State – 25 per cent.
The order mentions the restrictions imposed for not renewing the fisheries agreement between the European Union (EU) and third countries. This is the case of the Galician cephalopod vessels that were expelled from Mauritania last year, which start with an "advantage" of 26 points to qualify for the aids.
The Shipowners’ Association from A Coruña (Arpesco) estimates that "many of them will ask for aids" and will be more likely to get them, since they are old "enough" to do so.
On the other hand, out of the six boats belonging to Arpesco, only three are over 10 years old. And for the rest, it seems to be that having invested in updating them has not been a good decision, the president of the organization regrets.
Source: 14 May 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment