A Man, a Hook: García Defends Traditional Fishing Against the EU

Lola García, president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, has announced the island government’s backing of the fishermen’s brotherhoods of Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands in response to the recent amendment of the European Union’s Fisheries Control Regulation. The sector warns that the new rules jeopardize the viability of artisanal and coastal fishing in the archipelago.

The institutional support comes after complaints lodged by the Regional Federation of Fishermen’s Brotherhoods and the provincial federations, which have highlighted the impact of Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 on the inshore and coastal fleet that carries out the majority of fishing activity in the Canaries.

According to a statement from the brotherhoods, the regulatory changes introduce obligations they consider disproportionate for the sector’s reality, such as a four‑hour advance notice of arrival at port even for vessels that land their catch just minutes from the coast, and a requirement to record catches from “zero kilogram”.

The industry warns that these measures create legal uncertainty, increase bureaucratic burdens, and could raise the risk of accidents, affecting not only the economic viability of small boats but also maritime safety.

In this context, the Cabildo president says the measures “demonstrate a total lack of understanding of the reality of our traditional, proximity‑based fishing sector.” García adds:

“From the Cabildo of Fuerteventura we always stand on the side of the sector’s professionals, and we ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to address these demands and defend the fishing sector before the European Commission, putting an end to this assault on the Canary Islands’ artisanal and coastal fisheries.”