Number of Algarve fishermen drops 56%

The number of fishermen registered in the Algarve recorded the sharpest reduction in the country between 2001 and 2017, a decrease of 56%, according to data released this week by PORDATA.

In 2017, there were 17,642 fishermen in Portugal, 25% less than in 2001 – a decrease that occurred in all regions of the country but the Algarve has been badly hit with a decrease of 56% to just 2,713 in 2017.

As for the tonnage of fish caught in the Algarve, this has decreased from 30,595 tonnes in 2002 to around a third of that value – 12,949 tonnes in 2017.

On the plus side, the Algarve continues to lead the octopus catch in Portugal, even though this too has plummeted by 39% between 2002 and 2017. Despite rising prices per kilo, the revenue generated by the sale of the octopus has decreased by 11% in the region.