The government formally has renewed the operating licenses for about 1,000 shellfish nurseries in the Rias Formosa and Alvor, giving operators a further six years of unthreatened activity.
The measure announced by the Minister of the Sea on a visit to the Algarve, is part of a long-overdue aquaculture plan for the sector and those involved now are able to apply for and access EU funds to develop their businesses and improve productivity."
The Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino, was visiting Olhão where she witnessed the release of 17,000 farmed bass and bream from the Olhão fish farm Pilot Station.
As for the shellfishermen, Vitorino explained that the previous government muddled along with the maritime domain laws with the result that shellfishermen were left in a state of threat and worry that they would not be able to continue their trade as the coalition government wanted to auction off shellfish breeding grounds to the highest bidder with Spanish and French coorporate producers expected to clear out the Portuguese artisans.
This affected 1,500 nurserymen across the country, 1,000 in Algarve region, saw little future with the state ban on their shoreline activities and the threat of having their production areas auctioned off. The uncertain situation caused social problems and a lack of investment in enhancing shellfish production.
“We are talking about clams and oysters which are important both for food and for tourism because they are one of the attractions of the Algarve. In addition, one of the objectives of this Government is to double aquaculture in Portugal before the end of this parliament," said Vitorino, music to the ears of many of the Algarve’s hardest working locals.
Ana Paula Vitorino concluded by saying she aims to have the aquaculture plan ready within two years.
