Las Palmas – The non-renewal of the fisheries agreement between Morocco and the European Union (EU) by the European Parliament, last December, would result in losses of about 29.9 million euros for Canary Islands fisheries sector, said Monday the Canaries Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Juan Ramon Hernandez.
The Minister added, during a question session in the regional parliament, that the losses of ship-owners are estimated at 11.2 million and those of industry production and marketing of some 18.7 million euros.
Juan Ramon Hernandez also said that the regional government has held meetings with representatives of the Spanish government and EU to express the demands of professionals claiming compensation for coping with the effects of paralysis of Canarian fishing fleet and urge the EU to resume negotiations with Morocco to achieve “as soon as possible” a new agreement.
He recalled that the suspension of the Agreement has resulted in the immobilization of 26 fishing boats and the loss of 250 direct jobs and over 1,000 other indirect employments.
