The general secretary of the European PP, Dolors Montserrat, has claimed that the fishing sector should have "less bureaucracy" and that the current limitations should be relaxed, so that maritime professionals can add more working days to the year.
From Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona), after visiting the Fishermen's Guild, she emphasized the economic and social weight of fishing activity and called for a reform of the common fisheries policy that "guarantees the continuity" of the sector, according to what the party detailed in an informative note.
Montserrat has insisted on the need to cut down on paperwork so that fishermen do not feel "trapped in administrative procedures" and specified that the PP proposes moving towards a calendar that allows reaching 100 days of work at sea each year.
She reminded that the PPE is currently the main political force in the European Union and that it has the "necessary capacity and influence" to defend the interests of the guilds and the entire fishing chain.
In this context, she linked these proposals to the general elections on November 29, highlighting that "all those who want to protect fishing, defend jobs, and guarantee the future of our fishermen have in the Popular Party the best option to make their voice heard in Spain and Europe."
Red shrimp and hake, at the center of the debate
Among the priorities of the PP, Montserrat has pointed out the management of red shrimp. She defended that the protective measures for this species should be maintained, but demands "to find a balance between sustainability and economic viability" so as not to suffocate the fleet.
She has also criticized the current limitations on hake and has called for increasing the catch quotas for this species, considering that "it is not fair that restrictions on one species end up preventing the fishing of others."
For Montserrat, "our fishermen offer us a local product, of great quality and healthy. We cannot abandon a sector that generates employment, creates wealth, and is part of our identity and our tradition," she concluded.