Balearics seek island bonus for farmers and fishers

The Balearic Government wants the European Union to give island status real weight when it shapes future support for farming and fishing. On Wednesday, Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment Minister Joan Simonet put the case at two meetings in Madrid with Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. He argued that rules designed for vastly different regions and fleets cannot simply be applied in the same way.

The government is seeking what amounts to an island bonus: funding and rules that take account of the particular conditions faced across the Balearic Islands. It wants island status to count in both the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and its fisheries policy.

Farm funding and support

For farming, the Balearic Government wants Spain’s future EU agricultural funds to go straight to the Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry would then share the money with the relevant regional departments, avoiding a route through the Finance Ministry and regional finance authorities.

It also says aid should not be calculated only by farm area, type of production and economic size. The real number of workers, local conditions and island status should also matter. Simonet wants targeted measures retained for potatoes, sheep and olive groves, alongside support for young farmers and help with passing farms on to the next generation.

Different rules for coastal boats

For fishing and aquaculture, the government wants at least the same level of funding as in the current EU budget period. It says island status should be written into the funding system to offset its effects on the islands’ sea fishing and aquaculture sectors.

Simonet also wants a separate legal category for Mediterranean coastal fishing vessels longer than 12 metres but shorter than 24 metres that work trips of under 24 hours. The aim is to tailor management measures more closely to Mediterranean fishing.

The government is calling for less paperwork for the coastal fleet, while keeping checks and protection of marine resources in place. It wants inspections to focus first on land, with reporting, declarations, classification and weighing requirements adapted for boats that often spend less than 16 hours at sea.

Topics: Sea & coast · Agriculture · Politics · Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com