Until now, sector observers understood that the European Union’s move to shorten fishing days would hit hard. New figures reveal the full impact in the Alicante province, where catches dropped by 1,826 tons last year, a 16% decline from the year before. Revenue stayed roughly the same, but profits did not come close to offsetting rising fuel costs. Fishermen and fleet operators are calling for stronger European support to restore profitability.
The Mediterranean trawler fleet has felt the consequences of reduced fishing days. The EU reduced the allowable fishing window in 2021, and by the following year boats could only operate for 180 days instead of 240. The Valencia Institute for Statistics has detailed the toll of this policy, noting that marketable catches fell from 11,373 tons in 2020 to 9,547 tons in 2021. Projections indicate another drop is possible as the industry braces for a further ten to twelve day outage in 2022, compounding the pressure on fleets and coastal communities.
Juan Mulet, secretary of the Alicante State Fishermen’s Federation, explains that reduced activity among purse seiners, many of whom operate from foreign ports in Murcia, Almería or Castellón, likely contributed to the decline. He warns that escalating fuel prices and EU cuts threaten the sector’s viability. This week, fishermen report diesel at roughly 0.80 euros per liter before government subsidies, which leaves many struggling to cover basic expenses. Mulet notes that any increase beyond a modest amount would push costs over the edge and harm operations further.
Turnover remains a point of confusion. Despite the drop in catches, revenue is reported near the previous year’s level at 53.2 million euros. Industry voices attribute this paradox to regional differences and shifts in where and how much fish is caught. They caution that the figure is misleading when accounting for the sharp rise in fuel costs and the larger context of a tougher market for seafood in Europe.
Policy adjustments funded by European authorities, prompted by pressure from the industry and the Ministry of Agriculture, have begun to reshape the compensation framework. The mix of subsidies for biological closures and funding for reduced fishing effort is shifting toward a new balance, effectively increasing European funds by about 15 percent. The aim is to ease the financial strain and keep coastal fleets afloat during a period of tightened quotas and higher operating costs.
European funds to unblock fishing
Nevertheless, Alicante’s fleet views the assistance as insufficient. Rafael Torres, a representative for local fishermen, remarks that actual aid feels minimal since the sector faces ongoing costs for fuel and vessel maintenance. He stresses that the relief does not keep pace with the day to day pressures on the industry.
In the wider picture, not every segment of the fishing sector suffers equally. Purse seiners, which form the bulk of activity in Torrevieja, tend to face fewer interruptions and operate with lower fuel consumption than trawlers. The community acknowledges the situation is intricate, but many believe the industry can withstand the current storm for now, provided policy support remains responsive and targeted to the most affected groups.