The fishing fleet of the Balearic Islands remains docked awaiting negotiations in the EU

The fishing vessels of the Balearic Islands have remained docked at port this Tuesday, December 10, continuing the second day of the sector's strike to protest the EU proposal to reduce the working days of trawler boats in the Mediterranean.

The entities of the Balearic fishing sector gathered, this Monday, December 9, at the fishermen's pier in Palma to show their rejection of the EU proposal to reduce the working days of trawler boats and have stated that the fishing sector of the archipelago "would not be viable" without them, which could lead to the closure of the Palma fish market.

This has been confirmed by the president of the Balearic Federation of Fishermen's Guilds, Domingo Bonnín, who has indicated, in statements to Europa Press, that they do plan to go out fishing this Wednesday unless prevented by weather conditions.

The representative of the Balearic fishermen has pointed out that "experience" tells him that the resolution that may emerge from the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the EU being held this Monday and Tuesday, could be known late this Tuesday or during the early hours of Wednesday.

In this regard, he has noted that the information he has is that compensation measures are currently being worked on that would allow them to maintain the working days of the trawlers from 2024, a measure he has described as "acceptable".

He also indicated that this year there have already been boats that have gone fishing 130 days and such a "drastic" reduction, as proposed by the European Commission—to 27 days a year—would make these companies "go nowhere."

Bonnín has highlighted as a "positive" aspect that the entire Mediterranean fishing sector, the autonomous communities, and the central government are "on the same line," which, in his opinion, "is already a lot."

Furthermore, he pointed out that there is a blocking minority of six countries—Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Malta, and Croatia—that oppose this reduction, but he warned that this would be "a weapon that will be used as a last resort," since "the European Commission usually settles scores afterwards."

However, the representative of the fishermen has clarified that if the agreement reached "is not beneficial," there is a possibility of continuing with the mobilizations "in the future."

The president of the Fish and Seafood Producers Organization of Mallorca (OP Mallorcamar), Pedro Mercant, defended during the rally that 65% of the fish moved in the market comes from this type of vessels and that maintaining this reduction in fishing days would imply their disappearance.

The president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, has expressed her support for the fishermen's protests against the restrictions on trawling in the Mediterranean proposed by the European Commission.

"We cannot accept a proposal that would end our fishing sector," she stated in a message on social networks reported by Europa Press.

The president noted that the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, has already sent a letter to Commissioner Costas Kadis and will raise the opposition in Brussels.