Policy Department Structural and Cohesion Policies FISHERIES IN ANDALUCIA

Transcription

1 Directorate General Internal Policies of the Union Policy Department Structural and Cohesion Policies FISHERIES FISHERIES IN ANDALUCIA NOTE Abstract: Note prepared for the visit to Almería by a delegation of the Committee on Fisheries (4 to 6 October 2005) IPOL/B/PECH/N/2005_05 14/09/2005 EN

2 This note was requested by the European Parliament s Committee on Fisheries. This paper is published in the following languages: - Original: ES; - Translations: DE, EL, EN, FR, IT. Author: Jesús IBORRA MARTÍN Policy Department Structural and Cohesion Policies Tel: +32 (0) Fax: +32 (0) jiborra@europarl.eu.int Manuscript completed in September Copies can be obtained through: ipoldepb@europarl.eu.int Website: European Parliament, Brussels, 14 September The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorized, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.

3 FISHERIES IN ANDALUSIA TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. THE ANDALUCIAN FISHING FLEET FISHING GROUNDS FISHERIES PRODUCTION Catch Aquaculture FISHERIES AGREEMENT WITH MOROCCO PROPOSAL FOR A REGULATION ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FISH STOCKS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

4 1. THE ANDALUCIAN FISHING FLEET The fishing fleet in Andalusia currently comprises fishing vessels with crew members. There are 70 larger vessels that fish in the waters of third countries and employ crew members. At the top end of the fleet there are five freezer tuna boats employing 123 crew members and with a gross registered tonnage (GRT) of more than tonnes. Sixty per cent of the boats have been refitted or modernised over the last few years, requiring investment to the tune of EUR 396 million. The remaining 40% of the fleet that did not apply for any of this funding comprises mostly low-tonnage vessels less than 12 metres in length that fish just off the coast. One of the most up-to-date fleets is that based around Huelva, where only 22% of boats have not been modernised. The table below shows the distribution of the Andalucian fishing fleet by province. DISTRIBUTION OF THE ANDALUCIAN FISHING FLEET BY PROVINCE Province Vessels GRT Gross tonnage (GT) Power (kw) Crew Huelva Cadiz Malaga Granada Almería TOTAL % of Andalucian fishing boats are based in the province of Cadiz. The ports of Malaga and Huelva are both home to 22% of the fleet. Almería is home to 15% and Granada only 3%. The vessels based in Almería and Cadiz are much smaller on average than those based in Huelva or Malaga. The vessels based in the province of Granada are the largest on average. The table below shows the distribution of the Andalucian fishing fleet by type of fishing. DISTRIBUTION OF THE ANDALUCIAN FISHING FLEET BY TYPE OF FISHING Type Vessels GRT GT Power (kw) Crew Trawling Purse seines Long-line Boat dredge Other dredge Blackspot sea bream Other TOTAL

5 The most common forms of fishing are trawling and dredging, and, to a lesser extent, purse seining. Trawling and purse seining is done from larger vessels, while those that use long lines are somewhat smaller. 2. FISHING GROUNDS The failure to renew the fisheries agreement between the European Union and Morocco led to major changes in the distribution of the Andalucian fleet. A new agreement might involve major changes, although this is not likely to apply to the larger vessels in the fleet. The table below shows the distribution of the Andalucian fleet by fishing ground for MAIN FISHING GROUNDS OF THE ANDALUCIAN FLEET Vessels Crew GRT GT kw Gulf of Cadiz Mediterranean Other fisheries in Spanish waters Third countries ICES division IXa (Portuguese waters) TOTAL MAIN FISHING GROUNDS IN THIRD COUNTRIES Vessels Crew GRT GT kw Mauritania Angola Senegal Mauritius Freezer tuna boats South Atlantic Guinea Bissau Other countries TOTAL In terms of the number of vessels, most of the Andalucian fleet principally the smaller boats fishes in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Cadiz. On average, there are four crew members per boat in this part of the fleet. Those vessels that fish in third-country fishing grounds have an average of 16 crew members. More than 40% of the gross tonnage of the Andalucian fleet fishes in third-country waters. The main fishing grounds outside EU waters are those of Mauritania and Angola. The presence in Senegalese waters is smaller. 5

6 3. FISHERIES PRODUCTION 3.1. Catch 83% of Andalucian fisheries production is sold freshly caught. Of this, 70% is from the Atlantic and 30% from the Mediterranean. 9% is frozen and 7% comes from aquaculture. 2% is fished using trap nets. The graph on the left shows the trends relating to catches. In Volume of catches the statistics used in this 120 section, the data for 2000 are estimated due to a statistical 100 anomaly tonnes * FISH MOLLUSCS CRUSTACEANS TOTAL Since 1999, there has been a sharp drop in catches as a result of the failure to renew the fisheries agreement with Morocco and the subsequent fleet restructuring that took place. A comparison with the catch volume of 1999 shows that the total catch has fallen by 38%. The drop is much sharper in the case of crustaceans (78% down). Despite this, however, demand was such that the value of catches did not drop by as much, with a 21% drop overall and a 34% drop in the case of crustaceans Average price of catches 1990=100 FISH MOLLUSCS CRUSTACEANS TOTAL Since the last fisheries agreement with Morocco expired, prices have increased. Between 1999 and 2004, all average prices rose by 27%. Average prices rose by 20% in the case of fish, 77% for molluscs and 141% for crustaceans * In 2004, 84% of catches consisted of fish, 13% of molluscs and 3% of crustaceans. Currently, 27% of fish catches are sardines, 15% toothfish, 12% anchovies and 9% blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou). The value of sardine catches, however, accounts for only 14% of the value of fish catches overall. Striped Venus clams (Chamelea gallina) account for 43% of mollusc catches; corruco (Acanthocardia tuberculata) 12%; different species of octopus 17%; squid 8%, and cuttlefish 7%. Squid accounts for 21% of the value of mollusc catches. 6

7 Acanthocardia tuberculata accounts for only 3%. Deep-water pink shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) account for 27% of crustacean catches; red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) 18%; Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) 16%; mantis shrimp (Squilla mantis) 13%; caramote prawn (Penaeus kerathurus) 9%, and common shrimps (Crangon spp.) 7%. Red shrimp accounts for 33% of the value of crustacean catches Aquaculture Aquaculture in Andalusia has seen major expansion since it began around Cadiz and Huelva in the 1980s. The value of aquaculture products as a proportion of the total turnover from fishing in Andalusia is increasing (it rose from 2.5% in 1990 to 24% in 2003). In 2003, Andalusia produced tonnes of aquaculture products with a value of EUR 35.4 million. In Cadiz, Huelva and the lowlands of the Guadalquivir river, aquaculture has been developed in intertidal areas, old salt flats and estuaries over an area of more than hectares. In the Mediterranean, aquaculture has been developed using floating cages, rafts and long-lines. The rise in aquaculture production using floating systems demonstrates firstly how well suited the Mediterranean coast is as a region for such production to take place, and secondly the output of such systems as compared with that of inland aquaculture. Marine aquaculture farms have to be authorised and licensed to engage in marine aquaculture activities. They must also obtain a permit enabling them to use public areas of the sea and land. Developers must apply for authorisation to use an area for marine aquaculture and submit an extensive plan containing all the data relevant to the proposed activity. There are 81 marine aquaculture companies that generate direct and indirect jobs. Cadiz is home to 59% of these, Huelva 20%, Almería 9% and Malaga 5%. In Cadiz and Huelva most of the aquaculture farms are land-based, while in Almería and Malaga there are more out at sea. 68% are classed as large (more than 200 tonnes per year or more than 20 employees); 20% are classed as medium-sized (between 10 and 200 tonnes per year or more than 5 employees); and 12% are classed as small (less than 10 tonnes per year or less than 5 employees). The province of Cadiz accounts for 36% of aquaculture production in Andalusia; Huelva 24%; Almería 22%; Seville 12%; Malaga 6% and Granada 1%. The main species involved are sea bream (65% of total volume) and sea bass (22%). For that reason, Andalucian aquaculture is affected by the phasing-out of Community funding for increasing production of the two species. This situation, combined with high levels of investment, a long recovery time and the fact that using land as a guarantee to obtain outside funding is not an option will hamper developments in the production of the species concerned. Selling prices are such that some are finding it hard to make ends meet. The gap between supply and demand is closing and marketing strategies and sales networks are becoming necessary as in many cases the same company takes care of both the production side and the marketing side. 7

8 4. FISHERIES AGREEMENT WITH MOROCCO After the last fishing agreement with Morocco expired, 71 Andalucian vessels were scrapped and 20 were exported elsewhere. The crews of vessels based in Barbate (Cadiz) were the worst affected. In all, 580 crew members received individual premiums, 117 received retraining premiums, and 72 received early retirement premiums. In November 1999, the Andalucian fleet in Moroccan waters comprised 203 vessels, crew members and indirect jobs. These included: 110 shellfish trawlers with crew members and a gross registered tonnage (GRT) of long-liners with 471 crew members and a GRT of purse seiners with 714 crew and a GRT of cephalopod trawlers with 33 crew members and a GRT of toothfish trawlers with 49 crew members and a GRT of tuna vessels with 35 crew and a GRT of 231 CURRENT SITUATION OF THE VESSELS AFFECTED BY THE EXPIRY OF THE AGREEMENT No of Situation of vessel vessels Scrapped 71 Other uses between the end of the agreement (30/11/99) and the breakdown in negotiations (28/03/01) 52 Relocated to Gulf of Cadiz 29 Exported 20 Relocated to the Mediterranean 17 Licensed in third countries 14 TOTAL 203 A number of steps are being taken to revitalise and diversify economic activity and job creation in the areas of Andalusia that depend upon fishing activities that have been affected by the end of the fisheries agreement. In this context, four industrial areas have been developed (in Ayamonte, Barbate, Tarifa and Algeciras) in an effort to solve the serious expansion problems that small fish processing companies were experiencing. Steps are being taken to adapt the ports in Barbate and Almería so that they meet the requirements of the fishing industry. In July 2005, an agreement and protocol were signed for a four-year period starting on 1 March However, the agreement will need to be endorsed by a decision of the Council of Ministers. It resumes EU-Morocco relations as regards fisheries after the expiry of the old agreement, which ran between 1995 and Unlike that agreement, the new one will be tacitly renewable. The agreement will revitalise economic activity in the ports of Barbate and Algeciras, and other ports affected by the end of the old agreement. The agreement does not cover the Mediterranean or fishing for cephalopods and crustaceans. The fishing opportunities provided for by the old agreement still apply for the non-industrial fleet. 8

9 Boats from Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Ireland and the Baltic States will be able to benefit from the agreement, as the fishing opportunities are shared out according to the principle of relative stability. Vessels are subject to the same technical measures (range of fishing gear, seasons, number of hooks, etc.) as the Moroccan fleet. The Community fleet will have to make a certain number of landings in Moroccan ports. In the case of specific small-scale fishing activities, these landings are optional, but incentives are provided in the shape of reduced fees for the owner of the vessel. The employment of Moroccan crew is being encouraged in varying numbers from 0 to 8, depending on the type of fishing involved. This does not apply to small-scale long-lining. There will be a financial contribution of EUR million for the entire period. Of this, EUR 13.8 million will be earmarked for the development and updating of the sectoral fisheries policy, in particular: EUR 7.5 million to modernise the fishing fleet; EUR 1.25 million for the programme for the total withdrawal of drift gill nets; EUR 5 million for research: restructuring of small-scale fishing, marketing, training, etc. Fees for vessel owners have on the whole been maintained, and they have been adjusted in line with inflation since the last agreement. Unlike other fisheries agreements, there is no obligation to designate an agent. Type of fishing No of Fees to be paid by vessel vessels owners /GRT/quarter Small-scale fishing in the north: pelagic (purseseining in the north) Small-scale fishing in the north (bottom-set long-line) Small-scale fishing in the south (lines, pole-and-line, pots) Demersal fishing (trawling and bottom-set long-line in the south) Tuna /tonne of fish Industrial pelagic fishing (pelagic trawling in the south) /tonne of fish TOTAL 138 The agreement provides for additional funding to increase fishing opportunities if fish stocks are sufficient. It also provides for experimental fishing with a view to incorporating new types of fishing and fishing opportunities into the agreement. The outer limit of the Atlantic and Mediterranean area is set as the meridian passing through Cape Spartel. This means that fishing by the European fleet in Moroccan waters can be easily distinguished from fishing in the Strait of Gibraltar. 9

10 5. PROPOSAL FOR A REGULATION ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FISH STOCKS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN The Andalucian fleet in the Mediterranean comprises 908 vessels with around crew based in 23 towns that, for the most part, are heavily dependent on fishing. The Andalucian fishing industry s main objections to the Commission proposal are set out below. The trawling fleet comprises 160 vessels employing crew members. Most of this fleet would be affected by the provision dealing with mesh sizes of 50 mm and 60 mm for trawl nets. Because the continental shelf is small, most of the fleet fishes within a mile and a half of the shore. Banning fishing in this area would mean a loss of activity for most of the fleet, which seeks to engage in multi-species fishing. The only way for some boats to continue would be by fishing for crustaceans, which are caught in deeper waters. The purse-seiner fleet comprises 126 vessels with crew members. A ban on this method of fishing within half a nautical mile of the coast or within the 50 metre isobath would mean that sardine and horse mackerel fishing grounds would be out of bounds. This in turn would cause a loss of profits meaning that almost all the purse-seiner fleet would disappear. 762 vessels with more than crew members engage use smaller-scale fishing gear. Of these, 35 use bottom-set long-lines only, and 250 vessels use other hook-based gear. These vessels would suffer as a result of the hook size suggested by the Commission in its proposal for a regulation (less than 5 cm long and less than 2.5 cm wide). The surface long-line fleet comprises 41 vessels with 750 crew members. Most of this fleet is based around the port of Carboneras. It will suffer greatly as a result of a ban on catching swordfish for four months in the year. The Andalucian fishing sector does not believe this provision to be a consistent one, because it does not apply to other fleets using other methods to catch swordfish. Surface long-liners will also be affected by the provision setting 110 cm as the minimum size for swordfish, and by the larger hook size, which would be new to the fleet and which is not yet available on the fishing gear market. The shellfish fleet in the Mediterranean comprises 300 vessels fishing for bivalve molluscs. 900 people are employed in this fleet. Towed dredges are used to fish in production areas within a mile and a half of the shore at depths of between 3 and 40 metres. The proposal for a regulation, however, prohibits the use of towed dredges within a mile and a half of the coast and at depths of less than 50 metres. The proposal for a regulation makes major changes to the minimum sizes for certain species and gets rid of minimum sizes for others. The Andalucian fishing industry is challenging the proposed changes applying to hake, sardines, anchovies, sea bream and molluscs. 10