The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology highlighted today the priorities for 2016 in the areas he oversees, namely the enhancement of fishing products and increase of fishers' income, the redevelopment of coastal areas and marine environmental monitoring, and the transfer of knowledge between the scientific community and the regional business fabric.

Speaking at the Legislative Assembly during the debate of the proposed Plan and Budget for 2016, Fausto Brito e Abreu announced "a total investment of 27.6 million Euros in the fisheries sector" for next year, representing an increase of 3.2 million Euros compared to 2015.

In his speech, the government official pointed out that the Plan for the next intends to "involve fishers in the processing and marketing of fish products as well as in tourism-related activities providing alternative income sources and in local development community-based initiatives."

The Regional Secretary for the Sea said that, next year, the Azores will pursue measures to "value fishing products" by  launching projects, such as the marking of fish at Azorean fish markets, or awareness campaigns to stimulate the consumption of Azorean fish in internal and external markets in accordance with the document "Better Fisheries, More Income," presented in April.

Brito e Abreu also stressed that the Regional Government will soon carry out an "information campaign among shipowners and fishers to stimulate the implementation of employment contracts in the fishing sector in order to bring some dignity to fishing occupations and tackle situations of social fragility that still endure in this sector."

The government official also stressed that "the ecological sustainability of fisheries is an increasing concern for all actors in this sector." In this context, the Government of the Azores will work next year to ensure "the efficient use of the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in order to develop the sector and adjust the fishing efforts to the ecological limits of marine resources."

Still the fisheries sector, the government official announced that fishers' associations will receive next 800 thousand Euros to support their operation, which corresponds to an increase of 39% compared to the current year.

According to Brito e Abreu, this amount includes the support for the installation of the new Advisory Council for Outermost Regions, the advisory body of the European Commission whose secretariat will be headquartered on the island of Terceira.

One of the priorities set by the Government in 2016 for the fisheries sector concerns the commissioning of scientific studies to support the management of fishing resources and the development of aquaculture; "the latter will be subject to specific legislative and support measures over the next year."
 
Brito e Abreu noted that the Azores are "the largest maritime region of the European Union," defending the responsibility of the Region "in ensuring the environmental quality of water and marine ecosystems and making full use of the powers assigned by Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the Political and Administrative Statute."

With regard to the Maritime Affairs, the proposed plan for next year provides an overall investment of 10 million Euros for the rehabilitation of the coastline, marine monitoring and marine environmental actions.

Of the approximately two dozen coastal protection works to be carried out in 2016, the Regional Secretary highlighted the interventions planned for the north coast of the island of São Miguel in Rabo de Peixe and Maia. He also mentioned three contract works already awarded last week on São Miguel Island as well as the renewal of São Lourenço Port and the protection works of the coast north of Maia Porto on Santa Maria.

In the areas of Science and Technology, the Secretary revealed an estimated investment of 12.3 million Euros, corresponding to an increase of 50% compared to 2015.

Brito e Abreu highlighted the financial aid to scientific research projects, whose contract ended in September, with a global allocation of 2.9 million Euros for three years. "It will support projects with a maximum unit value of 150 thousand Euros, allowing the hiring of highly qualified personnel," the government official said, stressing that the Plan proposal for 2016 provides a global investment of one million Euros to finance the first year of implementation of these projects.

The Regional Secretary also announced that the area of technological infrastructure has a planned investment of 6.3 million Euros, which is primarily directed to the contract works of TERINOV, Terceira Technological Park and lot 32 of NONAGON.