The president of the Federation of Guipuzcoa Associations in Spain, Esteban Olaizola, requested the Spanish Government to allocate tuna fishing permits to the Basque fleet, in order to fish tuna in Spanish province of Andalusia, Mediterranean and Mauritania.
About 15 vessels are currently anchored in the port of Vigo awaiting Madrid’s concession to the permit and start the autumn tuna campaign in Andalusia, which has a Mediterranean coast. The Basque fleet is stationed in Vigo, which is on the Atlantic coast.
The most powerful Basque vessels are planning to fishing in the south of Andalusia and in Mauritania since the shortening of the bonito del norte (Atlantic Albacore) tuna campaign. “We have a quota to fish in Andalusia and the Mediterranean, however we still need to obtain the permits. The vessels are ready to leave port. We have good relationships with the Andalusia fishermen catching with bait and we are also asked to fish in Tariff to generate financial movementsâ€, said Olaizola.
Fishing permits have been requested for 14 vessels, although the Andalusia authorities are only prepared to accept 7. Therefore, Representatives of the Federation of Associations of Guipuzcoa and Biscay met in Madrid, before the presence of the delegates of the Andalusia Junta, to try to unblock the concession of permits.
Guipuzcoa fishermen are also awaiting authorization to fish Mauritania. In the meantime, the rest of the fleet continues fishing for bonito del norte.