Andalusian Fishermen Fear Job Losses as EU-Morocco Fishing Deal Nears Expiration

In the Andalusian Parliament, the voice of concern was heard through Carmen Crespo, the regional councilor for Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development. She called on the Spanish government to act quickly and put in place financial aid to support the fishermen, while seeking to negotiate a new agreement.

Emphasizing the vital importance of the agreement for the economy of the province of Cadiz, Crespo recalled that the 47 Andalusian vessels generated, during the last agreement, a turnover of four million euros by catching more than 1,500 tons of various types of fish. The importance of this agreement for the economic survival of the province of Cadiz, and more broadly of Andalusia, cannot therefore be underestimated, she said.

The official also stressed the need to find a solution to maintain this vital activity for many households in Cadiz. The absence of this agreement would have negative repercussions not only for the sailors and shipowners, but also for the companies that depend on it. Moreover, if they were denied access to Moroccan waters, the concentration of vessels in the Gulf of Cadiz could lead to a loss of profitability and employment for the Andalusian fleet.