By Alyssa McMurtry
OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spanish fishermen began a two-day strike on Monday to protest proposed European cuts that would severely restrict the number of days they can fish in the Mediterranean.
Under the plan, which aims to boost fish stocks and biodiversity, the maximum number of fishing days per year for Mediterranean trawlers would be reduced from 130 to just 27. Additionally, there would be a 30% reduction in the red shrimp catch limits.
Industry representatives protested in front of the European Commission building in Madrid, calling the proposal a “death sentence.”
“We call on the government to stop this plan that would mean the end of an invaluable cultural, social, and economic tradition,” said Isabel Lopez of the Mazarron fishermen’s guild, reading the protest’s manifesto.
Protesters argued that the EU’s plan is based on flawed data and shows a lack of respect for local fishermen.
The sector warns that if the plan is approved, around 17,000 direct and indirect jobs would be lost alongside the 556 Mediterranean trawlers currently operating.
Negotiations on the proposal began in Brussels on Monday.
Spain’s Agricultural Minister Luis Planas told journalists ahead of the meeting that the proposal is “radical” and “unfocused.”
“From an economic standpoint, it’s nonsense,” he said, adding that while the Mediterranean has many challenges, authorities should not attempt to solve all sustainability issues in just one year.
“I am concerned that proposals like this are being made, as they encourage those who believe that the EU is the problem and not the solution,” he added.
Spain, France, and Italy have joined forces to block or amend the proposal. Since it requires a qualified majority to pass, just one more nation would need to vote against it to prevent approval.