Hundreds join Xàbia fishermen’s protest against Brussels measures

This week, the fishing community in Xàbia has taken to the port harbour to express their rejection of the new measures proposed by the European Commission which they say represent a direct threat to the survival of the fishing sector.

The regulation, which would limit trawling to just 26 days a year from 2025, has caused great concern among the community who argue that the implementation of this measure would leave numerous families without a livelihood, leading to the disappearance of a vital economic sector in the town.

The protests were supported by hundreds of residents, relatives, friends and representatives of the local council, all of whom came together to show their solidarity with the sector. Even the youngest, pupils from CEIP Port de Xàbia, took part in the demonstration, highlighting the importance of fishing in local life.

The protesters gathered at the fishing pier with banners reading ‘Por el futuro de la pesca’ – (‘For the future of fishing’) – to denounce the measures proposed by Brussels and called for their immediate review in order to prevent the sector from becoming unsustainable and, by association, affecting fish markets, shops and restaurants that are linked to it.

During the day, the representatives from the sector read out a manifesto in which they expressed their despair at the threat looming over their profession whilst also publicly sharing the contents of an open letter sent to the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Costas Kadis, in which they detail the devastating impact that the plan would have on the sector and request an urgent review of the proposed policies that threaten their livelihood.

Mayor Rosa Cardona was joined by representatives from the local council to show their support for the community, with Cardona stating that the town hall will work to defend the interests of the local fishing sector, fishing being much more than an economic activity, and an identity of Xàbia.

The mayor has also proposed to submit an institutional declaration at the next municipal plenary session to defend the professional fishing sector in the western Mediterranean, expressing Xàbia’s concern about the proposed regulation which could seriously jeopardize it and its contribution to the local economy and culture of coastal towns.

The statement will call on the European institutions to reconsider the proposal and adopt a more balanced approach which will guarantee the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the fishing sector in the Mediterranean. In addition, it will also call on the Spanish Government and the Generalitat Valenciana to join forces in defence of the sector and of coastal communities.