Govt Pledges Support For Fisheries & Aquaculture

Ms Aguilar highlighted new opportunities available for the industry in the future through globalisation and internationalisation.

During the opening session of Conxemar 2011, she showed Government's absolute support to the fish industry (including processors and retailers) during these hard times of global crisis.

She also pointed out that all fish products marketed in the EU must meet EU market health requirements, wherever they come from. It is essential for Spain to meet these requirements, to remain competitive, she said.

Ms Aguilar stated that it is essential to follow the path of sustainable development, quality and food safety to stabilise markets and ensure competitive prices.

Moreover, she pointed out the need for increasing competitiveness among companies.

She emphasised that the supply of fish and aquaculture products to markets must be done through the sustainable management of marine resources, allowing traceability along all the food chain and making all countries meet international regulations.

With the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) being topical, the Minister said that the Spanish Government along with the Environmental Ministry is working hard to defend the local industry, helped by the Autonomous Communities and representatives from the industry to strengthen the Spanish position in Europe.

She said it was necessary to create a CFP which was socially, economically and environmentally sustainable because these qualities are “essential for everybody's future."

Finally, she expressed the Spanish Government's wholehearted support to Conxemar, the Spanish Association of Spanish Wholesalers, Importers, Processors and Exporters for Fisheries and Aquaculture.