Beyond its share of GDP, the fishing sector is an important sector not only for its nutritional importance in our diet, but also for its strategic value due to its origins and roots in the coastal populations of the Valencian Community. our gastronomy.
The Alicante fishing sector is the most important sector in the entire Valencian Community in terms of catch and availability, representing 58.6% in volume (Tm) and 54.2% in catch value in 2022. Likewise, it has 13 fraternities out of 21 of the Community. . The Alicante fraternities Alicante, Altea, Benidorm, Calp, Dénia, El Campello, Guardamar del Segura, Xàbia, Moraira, Santa Pola, Tabarca, Torrevieja and Villajoyosa market their fish in 10 of the 18 fish markets in the community.
In recent years, especially since 2020, when the Demersal Plan proposed by the European Union (EU) for fishing in the Western Mediterranean began to be implemented in Spain, catches have been decreasing, thus providing income to this sector. This plan mainly affected the trawler fleet, the largest of some of the main fishing ports on the coast of Alicante. The trawling fleet had to reduce the annual number of fishing days by 10% in 2020, 7% in 2021, 6% in 2022 and 7% in 2023; This means a 30% decrease in fishing effort during the period we implement the plan. The plan is planned for a five-year period from 2020 to 2024, so the biggest uncertainty for the sector is how much reductions will be required by 2024. The EU regulation talks about a 10 percent reduction in the first year, followed by a reduction of “at most 30 percent.” There have been many discussions with the Commission on this point, because they say 40 percent in total should be reached, but there are Member States who argue that this is the maximum that can be achieved but it is not mandatory to reach. this is 40%. This will be a key point in negotiations for 2024, that is, if a reduction of 10% or less is offered for that year.
The species most affected by this plan are red mullet, red shrimp, white shrimp, hake and crayfish, which also have monetary value because they are valuable species.
But this is not the only problem facing Alicante’s fishing industry. In addition to being subject to high regulations by the European and Spanish authorities and the autonomous community itself, not only for the trawler fleet but also for other fishing methods (although, as we have already noted, trawling is the most affected type), the survival of the fishing industry and It now has an uncertain future due to various issues that appear challenging for it to generate both economically and socially acceptable returns.
For example, the lack of generational change in the sector and the difficulty of finding human capital to work are a big problem. The difficulty of working conditions, the scarcity of young people and the population over 55 years of age, the scarcity of women, and the insecurity of job stability due to hunting and reductions in fleets in recent years, added to the problem of compulsory unemployment days for the trawler fleet; This created great uncertainty among his staff as his workers ran out of unemployment without any job compensation for this situation. Likewise, adding to these difficulties are the maritime-fishing qualifications required for employees in the sector to work professionally on fishing boats. Often there are problems taking or revalidating these courses. There is no or very limited public offering and lessons must be taken in private centers.
Another notable problem is the marketing of fishing products for initial sale in the markets of the Valencian Community, since the majority of purchases are made by large wholesalers (about 72% of the catch volume) and then by large distributors such as Mercadona, Carrefour. etc… (around 12.2%) and the rest, retail channel (10.8%), hotels, restaurants and catering, Horeca (2.1%), others (2.7%), unknown 0%, 3. Therefore, a feature that characterizes the initial sale in fish markets is the high degree of concentration of demand, which represents an oligopsony that reduces the price of this sale and, therefore, the profitability of the sector without implying advantages for consumers and higher margins. For big buyers.
This adds to the decline in profitability observable in the industry; because in recent years (from 2017 to 2021) most Valencian fishing companies have experienced a decrease in their profitability, as 34.2% saw their profitability decrease during this period. increased costs and declines in income (reduced catches, biological pauses, reduced fish consumption, among other reasons). This situation is certainly worrying for the economic sustainability of the sector and is related to many factors.
The Alicante fishing fleet, on the other hand, represents 46.8% of the Valencian fleet, with the five most important ports in terms of number of vessels (Santa Pola, Villajoyosa, Dénia, Calp, Xàbia and Altea). A major problem facing the Valencian fleet in general is that it is experiencing a reduction in its capacity, both in terms of the number of ships and in terms of hold capacity and power. In the period from 2006 to 2022, the number of ships increased from 822 to 521, the fleet decreased by 36.6%, its capacity decreased by 34.6% and its power decreased by 52.7%. On the other hand, although the average age of the Valencia fleet is 28 and below the national average (35), another important issue that should be taken into consideration in the sector in the medium term is that it is one of the targets of the European Green Deal. It is the energy transition towards decarbonising the fleet, which includes major investments in the purchase of more energy-efficient sustainable ships, which will include new technological solutions and innovations. This raises a reflection on the need to address the transition in the coming years, which will require, on the one hand, increasing the capacity and strength of the fleet, as the current Common Fisheries Policy limits this, and, on the other hand, the use of new fleets. Funds and subsidies to assist the industry in the transition to a more sustainable, efficient and modern fleet.
Other problems arising in the sector are competition from other countries for less controlled imports of fresh fish of lower quality and freshness; excessive bureaucratic burden and difficulties in requesting aid or subsidies; decreased demand for fish in recent years, competition from sport or recreational fishing that consumes significant quantities of fish and is often marketed underwater; Restricting, or rather banning, tuna fishing, which is a large predator and is rapidly multiplying in our Mediterranean waters; Concerns about the sustainability of marine resources and, in particular, the future of fishing grounds. For example, climate change resulting from rising temperatures in the Mediterranean is displacing some hard-to-find species that are important for fishing.
As we have seen, the fishing industry currently has an uncertain present and future, with headwinds due to a wide range of factors that are quite complex and in many cases regulated by supranational institutions (EU). As many fisheries laws point out, marine biological research on the one hand and economic monitoring of the sector on the other are necessary to ensure the sustainability of marine resources along with the economic sustainability of the sector.
For this, all brotherhoods require significant coordination with public fisheries institutions, in our case with the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, as well as research centers and universities that carry out studies on the sector and the subject. bioeconomic. It is time to propose improvements, propose solutions, and understand the industry and its problems while protecting our marine resources in ways that would not be possible otherwise.
We must improve its sustainability not only in terms of fishing grounds and resources, but also economically, and in the medium term we must achieve positive winds for Valencia’s blue economy, our food security and the preservation of our traditions, a very important sector for gastronomy. and fishing populations that have suffered so much to survive in recent years.