Three political parties, the PSD, PS and CDS have already agreed that a draft law covering Maritime Planning for Portugal is a good piece of work and offers a framework within which investment in aquaculture can take place in harmony with the needs of tourism.
A cross party working group has been set up by Socialist MEP Ana Paula Vitorino, who was in the Algarve this week to present the proposals for discussion.
The raft of regulations proposes a new legal framework for the use of Portugal’s sea area, including those areas currently used for aquaculture in estuaries and rivers. This of course covers the huge expanse of the Algarve’s Ria Formosa (pictured) where shellfish and fish farms already exist.
The draft defines a new scheme for granting aquaculture licenses for up to 50 years so as to offer safe investment, a condition essential to strengthen the ‘economy of the sea,’ which is the government’s aim.
PSD MP Christovão Norte commented that "the economy of the sea is vital to revitalise our domestic production, especially with the extension of our control over the continental shelf that gives Portugal a greater sea area than land area."
"This draft is in line with the will of the Portuguese, it is what the country needs."
Norte believes that "the Algarve is the region of the country that has most to gain from the development of our maritime economy. It is essential to diversify in this productive sector and see how we best can work in harmony with tourism."
The testy topic of oil and gas exploration off the Algarve's shoreline was not covered in the draft even though fishermen's associations in the Algarve already have expressed concern over possible exclusion zones around rigs limiting their fishing areas, the risk of pollution and the lack of government pay outs should the worst happen and their stocks are damaged by any petrochemical leakage or spill.
