The Regional Under Secretary of Fishing urged on Tuesday Azores fishers to promote association as a way of improving the marketing activities and the profitability of their catches in the archipelago.

At the closing of the Fishers’ Week, held in the village of Ribeira Quente, Marcelo Pamplona acknowledged the very good performance of Azorean fishers in their activity, but admitted the need fishers to collectively organise when they are on shore in order to boost their catches.

In Marcelo Pamplona’s view, fishing is a sector fundamental importance for the economic development of the Autonomous Region of the Azores; however, he advocated that it is a profession that needs to be even more recognised on the islands both economically and professionally.

The Under Secretary of Fishing said that the Regional Government is following, with satisfaction and commitment, the dynamism of fishing associations in the archipelago as well as the organisation of that annual meeting to promote the debate among fishers from all islands regarding the ways of improving the fishing activity in the Azores sea.