Lola García assumes FECAI presidency in Madrid, defending fishing and airports

The president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura takes over the rotating leadership of the Canary Islands Federation of Islands (FECAI) and calls for guaranteed air‑traffic control at the airports of La Palma, El Hierro, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, as well as the defence of artisanal fishing against new EU regulations.

Lola García, president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, assumed the FECAI presidency on Thursday, 22 January, during a session held at FITUR 2026. In her inaugural speech she urged the island councils to work together on issues that are critical for the archipelago’s residents.

Demographic Challenge and Territorial Protection

García highlighted the demographic pressure facing the Canary Islands, noting that population growth strains housing, water supplies, mobility and public services.

“This pressure directly affects housing, water, mobility and public services. Regulating population growth is not about closing doors; it is about planning so we can guarantee essential services.”

She also stressed the need to safeguard the islands’ unique identity:

“Protecting our territory, which makes us unique, means protecting who we are.”

García Demands Guarantees for Air‑Traffic Control at Key Airports

During the session, FECAI approved a joint statement from the island councils concerning the management of air‑traffic control services at the airports of La Palma, El Hierro, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, currently operated by the private company SAERCO.

• The Air‑Traffic Controllers’ Union (USCA) has asked the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to temporarily suspend SAERCO’s accreditation and transfer control tower operations to the public company ENAIRE.
• The union argues that this measure would ensure service continuity, safety, and the protection of labour rights, citing a recent court ruling that SAERCO cannot guarantee the service with the required standards.
• The situation at El Hierro Airport, where opening hours have been reduced, illustrates the operational risks.

Consequently, the island councils, through FECAI, demand that air‑traffic control be provided under strict safety, continuity and reliability standards, urging a return to public management of the control towers.

Additionally, the islands of El Hierro and La Gomera call for the immediate replacement of the current AFIS system (implemented by AENA) with professional air‑traffic controllers. They argue that this would:

• Ensure full operational capability and safer take‑off/landing maneuvers.
• Reduce flight cancellations caused by weather, improving connectivity for both islands.

Defence of Artisanal Fisheries Against the New EU Regulation

FECAI also pledged to support the Canary Islands Government and the island councils in defending artisanal fishing from the harsh application of the EU’s new Regulation on Fisheries Control. The regulation imposes obligations that the federation deems disproportionate, technically unfeasible, and detached from the realities of small‑scale fisheries.

Key problematic provisions include:

• Mandatory port‑arrival notice of at least four hours for vessels ≥ 12 m, even when they fish only a few minutes from shore.
• Requirement to report every catch from “kilogram zero” via an electronic onboard log, a capability that artisanal boats lack.

These measures generate legal uncertainty, risk of disproportionate sanctions, an unmanageable administrative and technological burden, and potential threats to maritime safety.

In response, FECAI urges the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to advocate before the European Commission for the flexibilities granted to outermost regions, ensuring the regulation is adapted to the Canary fleet’s specificities. The federation will also request exemptions or adaptations for the Canary artisanal fleet, and has forwarded the agreement to the Canary Government, the Spanish Government, the national parliament, the European Commission, and local fishermen’s guilds.