Listen to the audio version of the article
Italy’s fishing industry emerges defeated at the meeting of the EU Agriculture Ministers’ Council on Monday 26 June. Only our country, out of 27, voted no to the sustainable fishing package proposed by the European Commission, which among other measures also provides for the definitive stop to bottom trawling starting from 2030. All the other 26 adhered to the conclusions presented by the rotating Swedish presidency.
On Friday 23 June all of Italy’s fisheries had mobilized against the package, from Genoa Sciacca, for once the employers’ associations and workers’ unions were brought together. For our country, all operators in the sector argue, the end of trawling would lead to the loss of 7 thousand jobs and the end of business for 20% of the Italian fishing fleet, with a drastic reduction in the sector’s revenues of 50 %.
«Now the European Commission will have to take this position into account and adjust the
proposal according to the guidelines that emerged», commented Federpesca in a note. But for Italy, alone in this battle, the game is now all uphill.