The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated in Madalena, Pico Island, that the work of the Fisheries Centre in this town should start "in the last quarter of this year," corresponding to an investment of 885 thousand Euros.
 
"This is a necessary work for Pico's fishers and long claimed by them," Gui Menezes said, adding that, in general, "the project meets the expectations and needs of Madalena fishers."
 
Gui Menezes spoke on the sidelines of a meeting with the Board of the Traditional Fishing Shipowners' Association of Pico, which included the presentation of the project for the work of Magdalena Fisheries Centre under the Government's statutory visit to Pico.
 
At the suggestion of Pico shipowners, the Government of the Azores changed the project for this work, which intends to create "better operating and safety conditions for fishing vessels" operating at Madalena Port.
 
This intervention includes the construction of a 20-metre long dock and an auxiliary dock of about 17 metres, thus increasing the mooring area for local fishing vessels by 50%. Moreover, the project provides for an embankment for the parking of vessels covering an area of 1,000 m2, support infrastructures such as sanitary facilities for fishers, and the acquisition of a 16-tonne capacity crane; the latter will increase the operational capacity by more than 50%.
 
In addition to the presentation of the project for the Madalena Fisheries Centre during this meeting with Pico shipowners, the Government also presented a project for the construction of seven fishing gear houses in São Roque.
 
"We will soon start the procedures for the preparation of the contract work, which will have a completion period of six months," said Gui Menezes.
 
The Regional Secretary stated that this work, corresponding to an investment over 150 thousand Euros, will start in the third quarter of this year, adding that it is "an old claim of São Roque fishers."
 
Besides the fishing gear houses, this projects includes the construction of a collection station that, according to Gui Menezes, will "greatly improve the sale conditions of fish, thus contributing to its promotion."
 
The fisheries restructuring plan was another subject discussed with the Pico shipowners.
 
The Regional Secretary also visited today the Madalena Cold Storage Unit and will visit the Lajes do Pico Fisheries Centre Nucleus and the Santa Cruz das Ribeiras Fishing Port.