“If we were able to at the moment, we would send the whole fleet to the scrap yard.” These are the bitter words of the Head of the Fishing Sector at Motril Port.

Before, says local-sector Head, Ignacio López Cabrera, things were teetering on a knife edge, now it’s worse. How has this come about? Basically the EU fishing regulations on net sizes. First of all, the expense of purchasing the new nets was an expense that the fishing boats didn’t exactly need at this point in time. But now that they are using them, catches have dropped by 45%.

The Delegate for Fishing at the Junta de Andalucia, Sandra García was treated to these bleak words when she turned up at the port with grants for the modernization of the Andalusian Fishing Sector. These funds belong to the 2007/2013 Programa Operativa, which includes grants for the phasing out of traditional fishing and the development of fish-farming. Those interested have until the 31st of April to opt for this.

To be able to send the entire Andalusian fishing fleet to the wreckers yard, it would cost around 8m euros; Sr. López, however, considers that this sum falls short. He considers that 8m would just cover the cost of scrapping seven trawlers.

“If we receive just enough to scrap two boats, it would be like winning the lottery,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Motril fishermen are still waiting for somebody from the regional ministry to come down and see what fishing with these new nets is like – so far, nobody has appeared.

“What the Central Government wants,” he concluded, “is for the banks to end up taking our boats.”

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)