A biological stop that throws families into poverty , with the suspension of activity dragging on for another month, from October 1st until November 30th , and the compensation longed for for almost four years .
The resources are sitting in the Region. Millions of euros that can give fishing operators a break.
The topic was at the centre of the Productive Activities Commission of the Municipality of Porto Torres, which opened the discussion to the marinas of Porto Torres and those of Alghero, present together with the commissioners and the regional councillor Piero Maieli, member of the competent regional Commission who today, 18 November, will act as spokesperson for the fishermen's requests, issues shared by the majority and the opposition which, just last Thursday, had unanimously voted on the motion on the subject of the fishing crisis.
Alghero City Councilor Michele Pais also attended the meeting convened in Porto Torres by Vice President Michele Bassu. The trawling operators are demanding immediate compensation and, subsequently, information on the sector's prospects for the next five years.
In the port of Turritano, out of 40 fishing vessels that operated twenty years ago, only nine boats have survived, forced to suffer a reduction in their fishing days , "stolen" by other navies with licenses that authorize them to fish also in the Sardinian geographical area.
In light of the findings of the Fisheries Commission meeting, the Region is being asked to immediately pay outstanding compensation (for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024), activating a special procedure dedicated to fishing communities in crisis, establishing a special regional emergency fisheries fund, a bridging measure to compensate for the days of closure not covered by the Ministry for the years 2024-2025, and activating the Feampa funds dedicated to supporting fishing communities in difficulty, integrating these resources with a dedicated regional fund.
In accordance with the agenda signed by councilors Bastianino Spanu and Costantino Ligas, approved by the city council, a permanent discussion on the fishing crisis is also being requested, involving the Region, the Harbour Master's Office, Flag Nord Sardegna, and the Municipality of Porto Torres. " We are immediately demanding compensation from the unemployment fund for the two months of biological shutdown, otherwise we risk being left without a salary until January, when the first payment is due after the resumption of fishing activities ." For Alessio Occulto, a fisherman from Porto Torres, there are urgent priorities that must be met. "Shipowners and sailors on board cannot wait a year to receive their due compensation; there are families behind them who need to spend the Christmas holidays with dignity and peace of mind," adds Michele Sanna, a fisherman. "The delay in compensation is embarrassing, and we have a duty to push for payment from the Region," emphasizes Antonello Cabitta. "Agris has approximately €2.8 million in its budget that can be used to compensate fishermen and shipowners," emphasizes Michele Pais. "We are in discussions with the Ministry and the Region to change the way we count hours of work at sea," explains Claudio Piras, Councilor for Productive Activities. "Leaving at 11 p.m. and returning the next morning is counted as two days' work, a system that needs to be changed."
Gianni Pintus, president of the Agci Sassari Federation, highlighted the factors impacting the fishing crisis, which are not attributable to the trawling sector, but are caused by rising water temperatures and atmospheric pressure, which leads to the migration of certain types of fish.
Bastianino Spanu emphasizes the need for a transformation of the fishing sector, urging operators to join forces to form a united force capable of exploiting the opportunities offered by the Asinara National Park Plan. For Ivan Cermelli, "As a politician, we can propose the reconversion with an incentive for scrapping trawlers, establishing a one-time severance payment for the shipowner."
City councilor Sebastiano Sassu highlighted the serious critical issues and costs borne by the sector, which have remained unchanged over the years: high fuel costs, personnel, maintenance and moorings.