The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated today on the island of Graciosa that the investment in training and professional qualification of shipowners and fishers is the "clear evidence" of the importance that the Regional Government attaches to fisheries.
 
The Regional Secretary spoke at the delivery of diplomas for the Radio Operator Course in GMDSS - Maritime Relief and Global Maritime Safety System to a dozen fishing professionals at a ceremony chaired by the President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro. 

The Regional Government, through the GMDSS course, intends to train Azorean fishers to work with a system for maritime distress, emergency and safety communications, namely ship-to-land communications, through terrestrial and satellite radio services, which "can make a difference in the most critical situations.” 

Since it was implemented in the Azores last year in partnership with the Azores Fisheries Federation, under a protocol established with the Vocational Training Centre for Fisheries and Sea - FOR-MAR, this course has already covered 140 seafarers. 

In his speech, Gui Menezes stated that the Regional Government “works to respond to the needs of Azorean shipowners and fishers,” adding that “it acknowledges the work and the contribution” of these professionals to “the development of the archipelago's economy."

The Regional Secretary mentioned the investment made by the Regional Government in fishing support infrastructures and equipment, which represented an investment of more than 200 thousand Euros for Graciosa Island in 2019. 

Gui Menezes highlighted the repair “in record time” of the fishing gear houses in Folga, which had been damaged during the passage of Hurricane Lorenzo, and the “quick response” in the reconstruction of the wall in the access road to the fishing port. 

The installation of a covered structure for Praia fisheries centre was another of the investments mentioned, corresponding to “a need identified by Graciosa fishers to support small repairs on vessels.”

The government official defended that "the path to safeguard the future of fisheries as a relevant economic activity entails a balance between the sustainability of resources and the increase in the income generated by this activity." 

“If results tell us that fishers are getting more income from their work, if we currently have more than 1,100 more trained fishers in the Region and if we have the Government's determination to continue investing in this area, we do not have to fear that future,” said Gui Menezes. 

"Internal and external challenges will continue arising, but we will continue to provide an effective response," the government official said, highlighting that the partnership between entities and the fishing sector "will always be the most effective way to overcome these challenges."