Fuerteventura's PSOE doubles down on its support for artisanal fishing

The Socialist Party (PSOE) of Fuerteventura once again defends the artisanal fishing sector of the Canary Islands and Fuerteventura, maintaining in Parliament its outright rejection of the experimental industrial cage proposed for the archipelago by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). Majorero socialists argue that the debate on the present and future of Canary artisanal fisheries must focus on “solutions that add value and local wealth” to fishing communities.

José Cabrera, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing for the PSOE of Fuerteventura, urges the Canary Government and regional political leaders to stay “on the right side” of this discussion:
“It is absurd to favor, or even consider favoring, an activity such as the industrial red‑tuna and rabil cage that would take quota away from the artisanal fishermen of our islands. Instead, we should propose solutions that expand the local economic impact of fishing by installing processing plants for artisanal catches.”

Cabrera stresses that while the party can handle any political role, the local reality reveals red flags when the experimental industrial cage is introduced. He describes the ICCAT‑proposed cage as “foreign to the Canary artisanal sector, which has been ignored, and therefore should raise suspicion among responsible Canary political managers.”

The immediate future of the artisanal fishing sector in the Canaries and Fuerteventura, according to the PSOE, lies in adding value to the activity rather than simply increasing catches or weight through fattening—an approach Cabrera calls obsolete.

“We must not fish more specimens nor produce more kilos with fattening as a development strategy; we must grow by providing processes that improve profitability,” he explains.

In line with this vision, the PSOE of Fuerteventura advocates:

• Maintaining the current catch quota without ceding any portion to the experimental industrial cage.
• Establishing manufacturing facilities that transform artisanal catches—such as bonito, sierra, or listado—into higher‑value products through packaging and commercialisation.

The creation of such plants would immediately generate new jobs and revitalize the local economies of fishing towns.

“Any decision on Canary artisanal fishing must have the consensus of the sector,” insists Cabrera, adding that Fuerteventura, like the rest of the Canaries, supports a sustainable model without trawling or cages.

Cabrera also points out that one of ICCAT’s core objectives is to collect scientific data, monitor and manage fisheries to ensure sustainability. He argues that imposing qualitatively different systems on a marine territory without consulting the local professionals—who possess invaluable empirical knowledge of the waters and species—undermines the scientific basis of fisheries management.