Christmas without fish: Catalan government warns EU if it does not authorize more working days for fishermen

The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food, Òscar Ordeig, stated this Wednesday that shops and restaurants could face fish shortages during the Christmas holidays if the European Commission does not authorize additional working days for Catalan fishermen. European regulations allow fishermen a maximum number of fishing days per year. In the case of Catalonia, if this quota is not increased, fishermen will have to remain in port during the final weeks of 2025 because they will have already used up all their allotted days, meaning they will be unable to supply shops during the Christmas season, one of the peak periods for fish and seafood consumption. Ordeig explained that the European Commissioner for Fisheries, Costas Kadis, has committed to allowing fishermen to go out to sea more days this year, but the exact number has not yet been specified. In an interview on SER radio, Ordeig stated that there will "obviously" be a shortage of fish if Brussels ultimately does not allow fishermen to work more days. The regional minister reiterated his criticism of the European Union's fisheries policy, which, in his opinion, is pushing many professionals in the Catalan fishing sector to abandon the activity. One of the Catalan government's main complaints about the EU's fisheries policy is that it is "rigid" and, furthermore, equates fishing in the Atlantic, which is much more industrialized and uses very large vessels owned by major companies, with fishing in the Mediterranean—especially in Catalonia, Spain, and Italy—which is more traditional and where fishermen often form small groups. Clash with Brussels

The Catalan government, like the Spanish government and most regional governments, has opposed the latest proposal from the European Commission, which cut the fishing quota for trawlers in the Mediterranean by 79% and proposed that vessels only go to sea for 20 to 29 days per year. The Spanish government formed a common front with Italy and France to prevent the approval of this legislation, but Brussels temporarily backtracked and authorized that boats that had implemented a series of environmental and energy efficiency measures could fish for 130 days, as in 2024.

Òscar Ordeig:

"It is a disgrace that Brussels has presented a proposal that cuts 60% of European funds for fishing."

"We are prepared to move forward with the decarbonization of the fleet," said the regional minister, who will meet with representatives of the fishermen this Wednesday. He also explained that they wanted to advance the generational shift and achieve more sustainable fishing practices by "creating value through fish production." "Many fishing guilds are also undertaking industrial transformation projects to create more value with these products. It can't be that the burden is always on the poor fishermen," he added. "When a fisherman gives up, he doesn't come back," insisted Ordeig, who criticized the fact that fishermen face difficulties due to EU regulations while Catalan shops increasingly stock imported fish from other parts of the world.