Spain’s Fishing Industry: Evolution and EU Policy
Spain’s Fishing Regions and Fleet
Regions: Pescadores and Caladeros
The PSCA (presumably a typo, possibly meaning ‘Spanish fishing sector’) is active in any city with “caladeros” (fishing grounds). This includes setting and pulling fishing gear. Problems arise with national and international restrictions on the PSCA in community and international fishing grounds.
National Caladeros
The PSCA operates inshore and coastally. The first operations were carried out by an artisanal fleet, comprised of small boats that couldn’t venture far from the coast. This was due to significant national demand.
Community Caladeros
These are subject to a system of yearly quotas set by the EU. Each vessel can only fish a maximum quantity, established and distributed among authorized boats via licenses.
International Caladeros
Since 1974, a process began to expand the general fishing area of various countries to 200 nautical miles from the coast. Because of this, the Spanish fishing fleet became dependent on fishing agreements with other countries and had to reduce its catches. The PSCA operates in deep-sea fishing grounds.
Fishing Fleet:
Its size was initially excessive due to increased demand, improved capital, low fuel prices, free access to international fisheries, and the renovation and modernization policy of the 1960s, which affected fishing at high altitudes. However, with higher oil prices and the establishment of the 200-mile limit, its size became excessive.
Furthermore, old ships were not replaced; they continued in use. There are too many small-tonnage, obsolete boats that cannot stray too far from the coast and contribute to the exploitation of national fishing resources.
Labor Force:
It is defined by its decline and aging workforce.
- The decrease is due to the fishing crisis caused by the depletion of fish stocks, reduced fishing licenses, etc.
- Aging affects the majority of the population working in the artisanal fleet.
Transformations of the Fishing Industry in the 20th Century
Throughout the twentieth century, the industry has undergone major transformations:
- 1900-1960: An expansive period, limited by the World Wars and the Spanish Civil War, during which there was a slight slowdown in activity.
- 1960-1970: Modernization of the sector thanks to government subsidies for technological renovation and the emergence of freezer vessels.
- 1970-1986: In 1973, fishing suffered the impact of the energy crisis, and overexploitation of fishing grounds was used to maintain the sector. In 1974, the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zones were introduced, ratified by the UN in 1982. This led to the need to restructure the fleet in the 1980s.
- 1986-2000: The guidelines of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), established in 1983, were applied with the following objectives:
- Protecting species.
- Ensuring the living standard of the fishing population.
- Ensuring the price of fish products.
- Supplying for consumption and industry.
The main actions undertaken were:
- Regulation of access to the fisheries of member states and other countries.
- The Common Market Organisation (CMO) regulated fishing by setting prices, marketing, and granting aid through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).
- Measures were taken to restructure the sector and modernize fleets, train employees, and empower alternative fishing methods.
Spain needed a transitional period (1986-1996) to join the Common Fisheries Policy. After that, access to fishing grounds was more limited. Spain undertook to restructure and reorganize the fleet, cut catches for biological reasons, and provided incentives for retirement and the abandonment of the activity for older workers.
Besides the attempt to recover national fishing grounds, minimum sizes for catches were set, fishing gear was regulated, and efforts were made to repopulate marine species.