Despite a challenging economic climate, Galicia still represents 15 percent of the European Union’s seafood production, according to the recently released “Annual Report of the Galician Economy 2010.”
Vigo remains Europe’s principal fishing port, and the report pointed out that “despite the unfavorable environment, Galician fishing seems to have adapted to circumstances and maintained their production.”
Compiled by the University of Vigo and Caixa Galicia Foundation Director Alberto Meixide, the analysis of the region’s fishing community compares to the EU-27 member states. “In terms of value, Galician extraction accounts for 15 percent of production, exceeding the joint volumes of Germany, Finland, Greece, Ireland and Sweden,” the report highlighted.
Focusing on the value of extractive fishing activities such as landings, Galicia represented nearly EUR 1 billion (USD 1.4 billion) last year, accounting for 57.4 percent of Spain’s total (EUR 1.7 billion, USD 2.3 billion) and 14.9 percent of the EU total (EUR 6.7 billion, USD 9.2 billion).
Galician aquaculture production represents some 7 percent of the EU total and 51 percent of the Spanish total.
With its fishing fleet accounting for 9 percent of EU capacity by tonnage, Galicia generated 27,700 direct jobs last year in seafood and aquaculture, 14 percent of the EU total (191,110 people) and 58 percent of Spain’s entire fishing sector, which employed 47,874 people last year.
The report concluded that Galicia’s fisheries are of such relevance that the EU spent EUR 5 billion (USD 6.8 billion) in structural funds via the European Fisheries Fund 2007-2013, 48 percent of Spain’s total allocation to finance improvement actions.
