Opescaya, the leading representative organization for the inshore fishing fleet operating in Bermeo, Lekeitio, and Ondarroa, has urged the Basque Government to establish a working table as soon as possible. The goal is to build a food strategy that genuinely and unreservedly promotes fish caught by local arrantzales (fishermen).

The fishing sector has warned about the progressive reduction in fish consumption, which has fallen by 31.91% in households over the last decade. This trend has direct consequences on the gradual abandonment of a healthy diet. According to recent data from the Basque Government, one in three children aged 7 to 14 is overweight, a situation that causes concern within the sector.

For this reason, Opescaya advocates for “turning this situation around with a future-oriented strategy, not short-term,” with the ultimate goal of improving the health of children and adolescents. They recall that during the pandemic, the fishing sector was declared strategic and allowed to continue working, as fish protein was considered fundamental for human health.

For Opescaya, it is crucial to value the role of arrantzales and highlight the severe consequences that the disappearance of the fleet would entail. They acknowledge a “deep weariness” within the sector, stating that if the administration offered extensive aid for ship scrapping, a large part of the fleet would disappear due to existing structural exhaustion.

Among the reasons explaining this situation are the difficulties in decarbonizing the fleet, regulatory pressures, controls, and sanctions from Europe “in a global market where not everyone plays by the same rules, as in the case of mackerel.” Additionally, they cite other burdens such as the expansion of protected marine areas, reinforced environmental demands, and imposed fishing bans.