FUNDOPESCA activated in the Region for about 700 professionals in the sector - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas

The Administration Board of the Azores Fishers' Salary Compensation Fund met today and unanimously approved its activation.

The meeting chaired by the Regional Directorate for Fisheries was attended by representatives of the Azores Fisheries Federation, Fishers‘ Associations, Shipowners’ Associations, Fishers Unions, Lotaçor - Serviço de Lotas dos Açores, S.A., and the Regional Government departments responsible for social security and employment.

The analysis of the unloadings that underpinned the board members' decision was presented at this meeting. In the period between December 3, 2024, and January 17, 2025, there were 13 interspersed days in 30 days of auction sales representing a loss of income of at least 35% of the daily arithmetic average of the same period in the last three calendar years.

The criteria to be observed when analysing applications were also approved: to be entitled to the full payment, fishing professionals in the Azores must have carried out this activity for at least 10 months and made the respective Social Security contributions; they are also required to have signed up to FUNDOPESCA and made the respective contributions on a regular basis, and to have worked exclusively in the fishing industry on the date of activation.

In the case of local fishing vessels, a minimum of 50 unloadings or a minimum amount of €7,500.00 of auction unloadings between September 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024, is also a requirement for access to support. As for coastal fishing vessels, eligibility for support is conditional on a minimum of 30 unloadings or a minimum of €25,000.00 in auction unloadings during the said period.

It is estimated that about 700 professionals in the sector could fulfil these criteria and, thus, benefit from this exceptional support, amounting to about €415.64 per fishing professional.