Sicily Moves To Revive Tuna Fishing Industry With Euro 151 Millionff

Source: And Kronos Intl

The southern Italian region of Sicily is moving to revive its potentially lucrative fishing sector, enacting several measures to boost the industry after years of decline. If nurtured, fishing could once again become one of Sicily's primary sources of wealth, according to the regional councilor for cooperation and fisheries, Roberto Di Mauro.

”The extraordinary natural abundance of fish is not enough to ensure development,” said Di Mauro. “It needs to be combined with entrepreneurship, investment and planning.”

The region of Sicily has enacted legislation enabling central government aid to reach all types of firms that fish with nets, including tuna and swordfish fishermen. It has earmarked some 151 million euros for the sector over the next five years.

The resources will go towards modernizing the region’s fishing fleet, preserving sustainable fisheries, managing fishing activities, creating services linked to the fishing sector, and promoting fish sales and the processing industry.

Di Mauro disagreed with European Union free competition rules which state that the fishing sector should not be subsidized.

”Fishing firms needs government funding to revitalize the sector, renew the fleet of vessels and to provide ‘shock absorbers’ for workers who have lost their jobs,” he said.

Sicily’s fishing sector has in recent years been weakened by dwindling credit available to firms, a problem that needs to be tackled, according to Di Mauro.

”We need to attract fresh investment, guarantee access to credit and the more rapid disbursement of funds and economic incentives in the Mediterranean region”, he said.

The region is also seeking to promote cooperation between Sicily and the countries of the southern Mediterranean and create a “Mediterranean Zone”.

The fishing sector has in recent decades declined throughout Italy. The sector now turns over five billion euros annually and employs 70,000 people, according to the Federcoopesca Association.

Italy is currently the world’s 38th largest producer, while 30 years ago it was the 24th, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.