Demanding an audience with the Secretary of State for Fishing as well as the Minister of the Sea, “little sardine” fishermen – the boats that catch sardines measuring 11-12 cms – are up in arms over this year’s quotas, saying they fall at least 100 kilos per boat short, which translates into ‘losses’ of up to €200 per day.
“This makes a huge amount of difference for these kind of boats”, Eduardo Matos of the national association of “small trawling boats” explained.
“We’re just hoping that the ministry recognises that, beyond the large producers, we also exist. We are more than 2000 fishermen, and we produce wealth”, he said.
Little sardines – known here as sardinha miúda – are “a strong pillar” in the survival of the small trawlers association, he added -, explaining that at issue is the daily quota of 500 per day per boat, fixed by the national fishing board last month.
The association is asking for the limit to be raised to 600 per day, and even that, he said, was below what it had asked for initially.
