The President of the Government announced the activation of FUNDOPESCA due to the loss of income of Azorean fishers as well as the creation of a working group with the Fisheries Federation to define the methodology and the criteria for a new measure towards the restructuring of the sector.
 
"The Government of the Azores has decided to activate FUNDOPESCA under the legislation that was recently approved," said Vasco Cordeiro. The President of the Government spoke in Ponta Delgada, after receiving in audience the Board of the Azores Fisheries Federation.
 
FUNDOPESCA had already been activated in January, taking into consideration the analysis of the quantity of unloaded fish in the month of November, allowing the payment of 350 thousand Euros to more than 1,300 fishers in the archipelago.
 
Speaking to journalists, the President of the Government stressed that the activation of this support mechanism for fishers, recently revised in order be activated in case of income loss, responds to a need as well as to temporary circumstances.
 
"We believe that a more structural intervention is also necessary in order to improve the income situation of professionals in this sector," said Vasco Cordeiro. In this context, he announced that the Regional Government decided to create a working group with members of the Regional Government and the Fisheries Federation to outline a measure that allows the restructuring of the sector.
 
This new restructuring measure will not be focused on increasing the fishing effort, President of the Government said, adding that "a sort of buy-back scheme that will safeguard fishers' income and sustainability needs," ensuring the best conditions to develop their activity.
 
According to Vasco Cordeiro, these two measures are not limited to what the Regional Government considers essential to develop in the fisheries sector, pointing out the example of measures with effects in the medium-term, such as investment in aquaculture, which will allow the diversification of this sector.
 
Vasco Cordeiro also mentioned the case of fishing employment contracts as well as the issues concerning the promotion and use of the Azores Brand; the latter is embodied through a protocol signed between Lotaçor and SDEA to seize the benefits of this brand in the fishing sector.
 
"This is a set of measures, some of which are already being worked and others are being defined in collaboration with the Fisheries Federation, which aim to provide the best response to all those who live on this activity," said the President of the Government.