Gran Canaria seeks agreements with Chinese fishing fleet after the recent visit of the People’s Republic of China Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, to this island’s capital, Las Palmas.
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao highlighted the need to develop fisheries outside China by complying with the laws of the countries and regions where the Chinese fleet operates. Chinese fleet is looking for a high level port, such as La Luz, which would allow them to increase added value to their production and reach destination markets more efficiently.
Las Palmas Port Authority president, José Manuel Arnáiz Brá, has requested the Spanish government in Madrid to speed proceedings so that the Chinese fleet operating in West Africa is authorized to make transfers in the ports of La Luz and Las Palmas.
China has great investments in the Canary Islands as Chinese vessels handle important volumes. One of the three companies operating in the port of La Luz is the Chinese State Fishing Company. This company settled in the island of Gran Canaria eighteen years ago and is currently fishing in African waters with a 250-vessel fleet and handles more than 60,000 tons of catches in these facilities, and around 350,000 tons in East Africa. Chinese fleet uses ports in the areas where it operates and certain African countries only permit vessels in their fishing grounds on condition that they land catches in their ports.
According to the Chinese State Fishing Company representative, Li Kegong, this company pays out an estimated USD 30 million annually for port services, travel agencies and social security through its Las Palmas office, which employs 32 people from both China and the Canary Islands.
Las Palmas Port Authority has already offered the Chinese government the possibility of operating in the Tax Free Area and the Canaries Exclusive Zone. The aim of these offers is to “position this port as the first Atlantic transfer port, not only for containers but for other added value services such as fishery for both transformation and commercialising.â€