Galicia has recovered its member levels since the pre-2009 economic boom, yet the situation on land contrasts sharply with the sea. In the last decade, more than 3,000 jobs have vanished. A diverse group of sailors, net handlers, and shellfish gatherers adhere to this reality. The workforce tied to fisheries has fallen by more than 30% over ten years, and six in ten workers are over forty. The lack of generational renewal leaves an aging industry, pressed by dwindling fishing opportunities in community waters and the rising cost of diesel. Three elements fuel a cycle of ongoing hardship: the Galician fleet loses money week after week, either by moving to other fishing grounds for higher profits or by being removed from the official census. Since August of the previous year, not counting shipwrecks, the Villa de Pitanxo and other incidents, fifty fishing boats were lost in Galicia.
The larger vessels that deregistered traveled long distances to register in other countries, gaining access to higher quotas or favorable fishing agreements. Ship exports have accelerated over the past year, as confirmed by data from the European Commission. France has two notable cases: Caused a leave on August 4 and Nuevo Laredo on July 26. Built by the now-defunct Nodosa shipyard, the first vessel at 38.5 meters long bore the Vigo registration but is now operated from Ondarroa. The second measures 36.3 meters and is associated with the Armada. These vessels echo a long list of historic fishing boats in their era, such as Argeller, Yours Beach, Bouza River, Picamillo Lighthouse, and Pepe Barreiro. Those who seek better accommodation and profitability now base their operations in the ports of Bayonne or Lorient.
In summary, last year’s average vessel length exceeded 33 meters, with a total capacity of about 3,240 GT. Besides France, Mauritania, Morocco, Belize, Oman, and South Africa, where companies like Iberconsa, Pereira, and Pescapuerta have established a presence, other destinations appeared. Cape Town and the NAFO fishing area were among new postings, with vessels around 1,400 GT. This marked the most significant loss in capacity for the Galician census.
More departures
Returning to past findings, as FARO noted, over the last decade Galicia exported more than fifty fishing vessels with a total tonnage near 28,000 GT. This represents roughly 20% of the community’s fishing capacity. Vessels have been named Walvis, Luanda, Cork, Nouadhibou, and Tallinn in their new journeys under the Spanish flag. Boats such as Hio’s Villa, Forcadela, Baqueiro Three Fishing (now Dunboy), and Areamilla Beach (Today Table 1), along with Lodairo’s New Virgin (Lennuk), were mostly built in Vigo shipyards, including the now-defunct MCíes, Construcciones Navales Paulino Freire, and Armón.
coast
The heaviest losses occurred among the small-gear fleet, mainly family-run ventures focused on octopus, sea bass, or crab. In the same analysis period, 40 ships were identified as scrapped or removed from records, according to official data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food sent to Brussels. Most disappearances happened between August and December of last year; the remaining ships bid farewell as of this Monday. La Salve, based in Noia, formally closed on July 19. The average size of this small group hovered around 6.5 meters, with about 252 GT in total. Names such as Lira, Arcade, Baiona, Bueu, Camariñas, Santa Cristina de Cobres, Portosín, Redondela, Marín, Caion, and Lorbé remain in the memory of the coast.