Against the backdrop of the EU review of its fishing policy, non-governmental organization Oceana has called for an end to fishing subsidies.
The non-profit association calculates Portugal is one of the top-ten recipients receiving over €130 million in 2009 while advancing €3.3 billion as the level of total subsidies handed out by the EU. Oceana’s Europe campaigner Maria Jose Cornax said “subsidies to expand fleet size should stop (…) financing a dangerous and unequal race for the last few fish” before calling for more sea areas to be protected and greater commitment to research. Stating that EU subsidies are doubled where not tripled by what member states dish-out individually, Cornax added “in 13 member states, the subsidies received are actually higher than the total value of the fish landed.” The EU is currently reviewing its common fishing policy with a new proposal due to be published in November. TPN/Lusa
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