Four years have passed since Alicante’s trawling fleet began to struggle under the EU’s shrinking fishing-day allowances. Yet the latest community proposal, now appearing likely to move forward, would deliver a knockout blow that could seal the sector’s fate. The plan on the table, already communicated to those involved, would cut the 130 Alicante vessels’ available days from 140 to a mere 27 next year, leaving the industry with no viable future. In this harsh climate, Spain, France, and Italy are jockeying for a moratorium, though achieving it now seems highly unlikely given limited backing.
The ongoing policy of reducing Mediterranean fishing days since 2020, justified by sustainability, has steadily eroded the profitability of the boats. Once the fleet had 240 fishing days, this year brought that figure down to 140, a sharp cut that nearly put the sector out of reach.
But the forthcoming year’s proposal, according to sector insiders, would be the definitive blow for this form of fishing. The secretary of the Provincial Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds for Alicante insists that the trawling fleet cannot endure much longer and remarks that it is unthinkable for any economic activity to subsist on only 27 days of work.
The proposal reportedly originated from the commissioner who is about to depart with the new European leadership, yet there appears to be little chance of meaningful changes. “At this moment only the Mediterranean countries oppose it—Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece—while Portugal supports us. All the other states are in favor of the cuts”, he adds.
He challenges the sustainability arguments used to justify the reduction, noting that boats have been catching more fish in recent times. He also points out that the same pressures seen in agriculture apply here: policies imposed domestically are mirrored by imports that do not meet the same standards.
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From the sector, calls have been issued to the Spanish government to do everything possible to halt this blow, which would be final. It is notable that Spain, France and Italy have reached a joint declaration defending the Mediterranean fishing interests. The aim is a moratorium on the 2025 multiannual management plan. The three countries will push this stance at the Council of Ministers in the coming days, on December 9 and 10, when the total allowable catches and quotas for the next year should be approved.
800 Jobs at Risk
The disappearance of Alicante’s trawler fleet would also mean the loss of 800 jobs created by the 130 ships dedicated to this form of fishing in the region. (Source: Sector representatives)
The EU’s proposed cut would also ignite tensions among fishing organizations across Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, Andalusia and the Valencian Community, while the Spanish Government opposes the measure.