This Wednesday (April 8, 2026), the Senate approved PLV (Conversion Bill) 1 of 2026, which modifies the registration and identification rules for defense insurance for artisanal fishermen.
The text replaces the and establishes mechanisms to prevent benefit fraud, in addition to authorizing the payment of outstanding installments in 2026 to beneficiaries who meet legal requirements.
The senators introduced changes to the project approved on Tuesday (7 April) by the Chamber of Deputies. The text now needs to return to Casa Baixa for further analysis.
The President of the Senate, (União Brasil-AP), reported that he spoke with the president of the Chamber, (Republicanos-PB), who stated that he will vote on the project on Thursday (April 9). Read at (112-kB).
The senator (PT-PA) was the rapporteur and led the drafting of the final text after 3 public hearings in Brasília and debates in different states. “There was a lot of debate and a lot of conversation. In the joint committee, the text was unanimously approved”he declared.
The senators included the obligation to prove contributions to the (National Social Security Institute) by the fisherman for at least 6 months within a 12-month period. This prediction was included in the original text, but had been withdrawn in the Chamber. The rules on proving the income limit to access the benefit have also been modified.
The provision for the payment of retroactive benefits relating to the closed periods of the year 2025 was removed. Another change was the removal of the possibility for partner entities to receive a request for licenses and documents from artisanal fishermen.
The changes were the result of an agreement between government leaders, the rapporteur of the matter and opposition senators. According to Beto Faro, the final text was the result of a broad debate involving representatives of the government, Congress and entities representing the category.
The objective is to create more efficient mechanisms to prevent fraud in the program. The construction of understanding sought to prevent control measures from harming fishermen who carry out their activity legitimately.
The approved text extends, until December 31, 2026, the deadline for artisanal fishermen to present the (Annual Fishing Activity Report) for the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. To receive benefits for 2026, it will be necessary to present the Reap only for 2025.
The Reap must be presented annually so that the fisherman continues to qualify for defense insurance the following year. Anyone who is in arrears does not receive the amount paid to support their family while fishing is banned to preserve species in their breeding season.
The text also increases the sanctions for those who defraud the program: instead of the current 3 years of suspension of fisherman registration, the period is increased to 5 years. The same period will be applied as a impediment to requesting the benefit. In cases of recurrence, the term will be doubled (10 years).
From November 1, 2026, access to the digital systems of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Ministry of Labor and Employment will depend on two-factor authentication (password and code sent to the registered cell phone, for example).
The text provides that artisanal fishermen qualified in the (National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture) and its associations and cooperatives will have the same financial costs for funding and investment used in agrarian reform programs, including bonuses or reductions. The measure aims to expand access to subsidized financing.
The president of the Senate praised the efforts of party leaders to reach an understanding of the changes to the MP. “This construction was only possible due to the search for dialogue among all leaders. All senators are clear about the importance of approving this matter for Brazilian fishermen”stated Alcolumbre.
The senator (PL-SC), who was Minister of Fisheries during the government of the former president (PL), criticized the changes in the fishermen’s register. According to him, the registry would have been expanded during the president’s government (PT).
Seif stated that the text sent by the Executive is superior to that approved by the Chamber of Deputies, which would make registration through fishing entities exaggeratedly easier. “Many of these entities are involved in fraud schemes. This opens up space for those who have never made a living from fishing to gain defense insurance”he declared.
Teresa Cristina (PP-MS) argued that the best thing would be to let the MP expire. The senator argued that those who should receive the insurance have already received it. She also considered the Executive’s text superior to that approved in the Chamber. (Republicanos-DF) followed the defense of the government’s original text.
(PT-BA), leader of the government, declared that “it could not be contrary to the government text”. The senator pointed out that there was an agreement to construct the text in the joint committee.
(PT-MA) also praised the MP and defended the importance of differentiating the honest fisherman from the dishonest. In the senator’s view, the government’s initiative does justice to fishermen.
With information from
