Octopus fishermen in the Algarve face a prolonged stoppage due to recent storms that prevented them from going to sea and the delay in paying subsidies for the closed season. The situation, which has been going on for more than a month, is directly affecting the income of dozens of families linked to the activity.
The combination of adverse weather conditions and financial support that remains to be regularized has created a scenario of uncertainty in one of the most relevant segments of artisanal fishing in the Algarve.
Storms bring activity at sea
According to TSF radio, the successive depressions and storms that hit the south coast, including the Kristin, Leonardo and Marta systems, prevented vessels from leaving ports. The accumulated impact of recent weeks has kept many vessels stopped.
According to the same source, the inability to work has been going on for more than a month, affecting not only octopus fishing, but various types of capture in the region.
Families without income for weeks
Speaking to the same radio, the director of the Fuseta Fishing Shipowners Association, Sónia Olim, describes the moment as a “dramatic situation”, highlighting that the “vessels are unable to go to sea” due to the weather conditions.
Many families currently live in “poor financial conditions”, resorting to loans to guarantee basic expenses. “By not going to sea, there is no money coming in”, says Sónia Olim, adding that “these crew and shipowners have been without receiving a penny for over a month”.
Closed without compensation paid
In addition to the impact of the storms, professionals are still awaiting payment of the subsidy for the closed period between September and October last year. The same source states that this temporary stop in octopus fishing aimed to protect the biological cycle of the species.
However, the financial support provided to compensate for this interruption of activity remains unpaid. “Everyone is waiting for this money which, given the situation they are experiencing now, would be very useful for them to be able to support their families”, says the person in charge.
Applications to be approved
According to the same source, requests for support were presented both for the closed season subsidy and for the damage caused by the storms. The Secretary of State for Fisheries, Salvador Malheiro, assured that he would “try to speed up” the process.
Even so, explains , so far only six of the 80 applications submitted have been approved, which leaves the majority of fishermen without any financial compensation.
Compensation fund can be activated
Regarding the direct consequences of storms, there is a fisheries salary compensation fund that could be activated. The Fuseta Fishing Shipowners Association has already requested the activation of this mechanism, writes the newspaper.
Sónia Olim, however, expresses reservations about the effectiveness of the measure, warning that, even if the fund is activated, it will be necessary to submit applications and meet administrative deadlines. From their perspective, fishermen “will never have the money in a timely manner”, with uncertainty remaining regarding the immediate sustainability of the activity.
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