The Spanish fishing sector, represented by the organisation CEPESCA, has asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, to firmly advocate for a specific and reinforced fund for fisheries within the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034.
The sector has agreed to establish a united front to defend this demand.
The request comes after a proposal from Brussels that would see the allocation for fisheries limited to €2 billion ($2.37 billion), a 67 per cent cut from the €6.1 billion of the current European Maritime Fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Furthermore, the European Commission's legislative proposal merges the budgets for agriculture and fisheries without specifying any particular amount for the fishing sector.
According to the sector, merging the budgets relegates fisheries to a secondary, marginal role, which contradicts the EU's strategic priorities of strengthening competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
The sector has also requested that the future budgetary framework establish mandatory minimum allocations for fishing and guarantee harmonised co-financing to allow for the modernisation and safety of the fleet on equal terms among member states.
The organisation has urged the Spanish Government to coordinate its position with other countries with a long fishing tradition, such as France, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland, to establish a common front.
CEPESCA warned that the disappearance of a specific financial instrument for fisheries would have serious repercussions, including job losses, a weaker fleet, and increased dependence on imports.