Mollusc ban leads Olhãopesca to call for urgent support

Olhãopesca – the Organization of Fisheries Producers of the Algarve requested, on Tuesday, November 12th, “urgent” support from the Ministry of the Sea.

In question are the prolonged fishing bans on shellfish and molluscs between the L8 zone (Faro – Olhão) and L9 zone (Tavira – Vila Real de Santo António). According to Olhãopesca, “the art of net-fishing in the south is a part of locally-rooted professional fishing activity of high economic and social importance in the Eastern Algarve, encompassing a group of 50 licensed and active vessels, with an epicentre in Olhão and Fuseta”.

Among the catches, “molluscs is the main target species”, and smaller vessels, which make up around 50 per cent of the Algarve’s total fleet” are extremely dependent on that species as they lack the structural ability to trawl deeper and thus direct their fishing techniques at specific catches.”

In recent years, the prohibition on shellfish fishing, according to the same source, has been constant due to the presence of marine toxins in molluscs. This year alone, there have been a total of 152 consecutive days in which mollusc and shellfish fishing has been banned, amounting to five months.

This is an issue that “is seriously harming shipowners who have invested their money and livelihood in this activity, as well as hundreds of struggling fishermen, creating serious social problems.” In this way, Olhãopesca “urgently requests support” from the Ministry of the Sea, in order to “promote a decent way out” for the shellfish fishermen.

In addition, the same organization also asks the government to provide “answers to a number of questions and facts about the occurrence of biotoxins in molluscs in the area,” as the claims have raised suspicions amongst some.