There are almost no sea urchins left in the Sardinian sea. Fishing must be stopped. The Region is ready to impose a three-year ban; the decree has already been issued. But it comes into force under one condition: the European Commission must approve compensation for industry professionals who will be unable to work. The Regional Department of Agriculture has already allocated €1.14 million for them. All that's missing is Brussels' approval.
The decision has been postponed for years: faced with the depletion of sea urchin populations , the need to avoid bringing an entire sector to its knees has prevailed. Previous harvest bans, partly due to vociferous protests, had been extended. But the latest monitoring conducted by Agris "reveals a widespread state of distress for sea urchin stocks in the maritime area bordering Sardinia, with abundance levels in some cases reduced by a third compared to the previous decade."
Furthermore, it was confirmed that "the low overall densities, the small commercial-size fraction, the limited evidence of recovery in protected areas , and low recruitment suggest that the stock is severely overexploited or at least under significant pressure." The shutdown has become inevitable.
The fishing ban is enshrined in the September regional law that regulates the €2 billion budget change. A paragraph refers to a decree from Agriculture Councilor Francesco Agus. That measure has been passed and can take effect at any time. But the Department has imposed a condition: "The implementation of the measure (...) is subject to the European Commission's decision declaring the aid scheme compatible," which has already been prepared and submitted to the Brussels offices.
Professional sea urchin fishermen will receive the funds for four months of the year (from January to April, the period historically dedicated to sea urchin fishing) until 2029: the compensation will fully cover the declared losses, which will be verified based on fishing records from previous years.
The department's measure is already being examined by the Commission's technical experts , and according to leaks, the compensation for the fishing ban may not be classified as state aid. If so, sea urchins will disappear from Sardinian tables for three years.