Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, stressed at the opening of the Fourth Congress of the Quality of Fishery Products held at the headquarters of the Department, the importance of the sector in Spain, which has placed the country as producer of fish in the European Union, with almost 20% of the total, and as the first state employer in the European context, to give employment to a total of 60,000 people.
In achieving these results, the minister praised the importance of scientific knowledge, while highlighting the strict compliance with the rules of proper management control and applied to ensure good long-term resources, without compromising the viability of fishing and its benefits for the economy and employment.
This has allowed, in the words of the minister, the industry has ahead a completely different future than seemed possible a few years ago, with more stability and development from an economic, social and environmental terms.
A mirrored stability on quotas, almost 35,000 more than in the previous legislature, representing an increase of 14% and more wealth for fishermen, with an increase in value of over 70 million tons.
Regarding the Common Market Organisation for fishery and fishery products, García Tejerina achieved emphasizes the greater role for producer organizations to take responsibility for developing their production and commercial strategies in line with the sustainability of resources and the job.
It should be remembered achieving higher EU funds for the whole of Spanish industry, through the European Maritime and Fisheries, with a total of 2,238 million euros for the period 2014-2020.
As for marketing, García Tejerina has assured that it has worked to ensure the correct application of the control mechanisms and to improve consumer information, since traceability is a priority for the Ministry.
In the field of R & D results, the head of the Department highlighted the launch of the Technological Innovation Strategic Plan and Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014-2020 which aims to adapt the supply of fish products to the demands of consumers and improve competitiveness.
