The Under Secretary of Fishing defended in Ponta Delgada today that finding solutions in other markets in order to provide a response to the growing demand for raw materials by the current fish processing industry in the Azores.
Marcelo Pamplona spoke about the “Fisheries Sector in the Azores” (Sector das Pescas nos Açores) under the seminar on “The Sea in the Portuguese Constitution” (O Mar na Constituição da República Portuguesa) integrated in the 25th anniversary of the “Porto de Abrigo” Cooperative, considering that the enhancement of fish tourism is fundamental to modernise mentalities.
The Under Secretary also defended of marine aquaculture on the islands without harming the Azorean environment as well as a greater commitment of the professionals in the Outermost Regions of the European Union (ORs) in the Common Fisheries Policy, in order to create an Advisory Board of the ORs. 
  
Marcelo Pamplona underlined the need to protect the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Azores (EEZ) under the Common Fisheries Policy. 
 
Regarding his lecture on Azorean fisheries and its evolution, the Under Secretary said that there are currently a total of 697 licensed vessels, revealing that another 200 vessels will be built by early 2012, more than 30 percent of the renewed fleet of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. The Government will a award 15 million Euros to support the renewal programme of the Azorean fishing fleet.
 
Among the public infrastructures to support the fishing sector, the Azores are 46 ports and 15 fishing centres in the Azores as well as a total of 505 houses for fishing gear, 8 repair workshops, 11 fish markets and 8 refrigerator storage located on several islands, mentioned Marcelo Pamplona.   
 
With regard to the tuna processing industry, the Under Secretary of Fishing indicated that there are four companies located on five islands and six factories in operation that process 20 tonnes of tuna. 
 
Concluding his speech, Marcelo Pamplona alerted for the importance of preserving fishing species, to ensure the future of the sector in the Archipelago in a long term, and the improvement of the organisation in the catching, processing and commercialisation areas.
 
The Under Secretary stressed that the Azorean Government promotes the development of the production of new species that are not being commercially explored and of new products as well as the collaboration between the public and private sector, and the reinforcement of a more active intervention of the association sector regarding commercialisation.