Portugal was a poor country with a hardworking people, who carefully took care of their resources. Families grew vegetables, harvested fruits and nuts. They were happy, had plenty of gold, but there was no freedom of speech.
We have in Portugal one of the best environments for fishing in a huge maritime economic zone, with great variety of species.
We also have unique conditions in the EU for aquaculture, both at seaside and offshore.
Earlier, the fish industry preserved with salt or the like, instead of freezing. The fish caught in the South & Centre coast of Portugal is great for filleting and freezing or smoking, for durability. These are the processes most desired today in Northern Europe, to avoid preservatives and other chems.
The most requested are the artisanal industry, which requires EU authorization to avoid the strict rules dictated by the cartel. It is up to the fishing cooperatives and the Ministry of Agriculture to request quick approval in Brussels.
Smoking fish requires little investment; also the vacuum packaging machine is not expensive, while freezing requires some. There are many of these newly disrupted in Northern Europe which, with limited investment, may be updated.
With our 3,000 hous per year of sunshine, you must install the cooling unit that uses solar panels and reduces the cost of electricity to almost zero.
This industry, on top of bringing more income to the fisherman, provides employment to his wife and children in the village or town, so they do not need to move to the district capital. There should be a logistic central, to lower international shipping costs. The coops should sell directly to industrial canteens and catering in cities with air routes from Beja and Faro.
This could employ more 30,000 in fishing and handling, at almost no investment. YES WE CAN - TOGETHER!
© Jack Soifer
