Lola García supports fishermen's co-ops amid new EU rules on artisanal fishing

The president of the Fuerteventura Island Council, Lola García, has voiced her backing for the island’s fishermen’s guilds and those across 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 continuity of artisanal and coastal fishing in the archipelago.

The Regional Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds, together with provincial federations, has rejected Regulation (EU) 2023/2842, arguing that it imposes obligations that undermine the viability of the small‑boat fleet—the segment that carries the bulk of Canary Islands’ fishing activity and sustains many families.

The most controversial measures cited by the sector include:

• A mandatory four‑hour advance notice of arrival at port for vessels fishing close to the coast.
• The requirement to record catches from the so‑called “zero‑kilogram” point.

According to the guilds, these provisions create legal uncertainty, increase administrative burdens, and could compromise maritime safety, even raising the risk of accidents.

“These measures demonstrate a total lack of understanding of the reality of our traditional, proximity‑based fishing sector,” Lola García told the press. “The island council stands on the side of fishing professionals and calls on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to address the sector’s demands and defend its interests before the European Commission.”

The island’s president stresses the importance of recognizing the unique nature of Canary artisanal fishing and its economic, social, and cultural role. She urges a revision of the regulation to ensure the sector’s sustainability without endangering its very survival.