MADRID: The Spanish Fisheries Confederation (CEPESCA) and the National Association of Freezer Tuna Vessel Owners (ANABAC) have asked the European Commission (EC) for a tax reduction for the tuna purse seine freezer and surface longline fleets fishing exclusively outside EU waters so that the Spanish fishing industry can compete with Asia.
Garat, who apart from being CEPESCA secretary general is Europêche president, also warns that fleets mainly from Asian countries “still practise finning” without being punished. The sector’s request also aims to minimize the risk of changing the Spanish flag for a non-EU third country one. In this regard, the Spanish fisheries entrepreneurship notes that between 2008 and 2013 a purse seine freezer vessel was exported while in 2014, MAGRAMA received a an export request for four ships.
Meanwhile, the freezer trawler fleet exported eight vessels between 2012 and 2013. The Spanish ship owners say the situation worsens due to the drastic decline in tropical tuna price (53 per cent since September 2012), which causes the risk of reflagging. “Reducing operating costs is essential to ensure that ships can continue to develop their activity and, therefore, generating wealth and employment,” emphasizes Garat.
