The producer organizations of Vigo Opnapa, OPPC-3, and OPPF-4 have conveyed to the Secretary General of Fisheries, Isabel Artime, their concern about the economic scenario that the shipowner companies face due to the rise in fuel prices and the "difficulties and delays" in receiving the aid implemented by the Government.
In a joint document, they demand an urgent review of the compensation system, including its retroactive application, in order to sustain the activity of the fleet, which is going through a "difficult situation."
Among their main warnings, they detail the case of the fleets operating in international waters, whose companies have not yet received the initial aid for the March-April period, "despite bearing increases in fuel prices exceeding 86.23% compared to February." The rest of the fleets, they add, are also struggling to cope with the rising costs, as they do not have new lines of support after April.
The organizations also emphasize the need for the amounts publicly announced by the Ministry to be converted as soon as possible into aid effectively received by the companies.
In their view, the speed of processing and payment, "which has not existed so far, is essential for these measures to fulfill their objective of alleviating the economic pressure on the shipowners."
Additionally, they demand that the subsidies be calculated based on the fuel actually consumed, that their amount be reviewed to cover 70% of the extra cost during the entire affected period, and that these improvements be applied retroactively.