Algarve fishermen want their sea back after aquaculture project fails

The fishing communities on the Ria Formosa islands of Armona and Culatra long have rued the day when a major area of sea became out of bounds to locals after it was sectioned off and licensed for aquaculture.

Islanders took the opportunity of ‘Day of the Fishermen,’ June 1st, to highlight the folly of leaving productive fishing grounds abandoned with fewer than 25% of the 60 licensed lots being used for their intended purpose.

The complaint about the vast Armona Aquaculture Production Area involves fishermen from the Ria Formosa islands and from the mainland, all of whom have been banned since 2008 from an 18 square kilometre bloc of what they consider as their own heriditary fishing area.

As it seems that the State has abandoned this great blue project, like so many others, the fishermen want to be allowed to use their old fishing grounds once again.

The protestors say the 2008 project is a failure, with some of the licensed lots lying abandoned, adding that the government is considering letting even more lots to one license holder whom, the protestors claim, has already abandoned earlier areas under its control.

With the price of fish falling steadily this year, this section of the Algarve’s fishing fleet is forced to travel further out to sea to reach legal fishing areas. "This should be stopped and travel costs could drop if the abandoned areas are released," claim locals.

Local MP, Cristovão Norte, has agreed that the whole situation is foolish, that the local fishermen have a good point and that he will ensure the matter is given debating time in parliament, or at least that the Minister of the Sea explains the logic of sectioning off fertile fishing grounds when she is meant to be promoting fishing.

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