Declaration of Solidarity with the Porto de Abrigo Organization

Defending the dignity of small producers,

For socially and ecologically sustainable fisheries

Porto de Abrigo, a producers organization of multi-gear, local and coastal fishers from the Azores, is in danger of closure, given the possibility of termination of its operations with respect to activities that are central to achieving its strategic mission – defending the interests of its members, based on cooperative principles and practices, promoting collective responsibility and assuming competence for the self regulation of markets, in order to combat speculation on producer sales prices and to promote sustainability. The termination of Porto de Abrigo, as a producers organization, represents an enormous setback in the defence of the Azorean fishery and its men and women fishers.

Given the seriousness of the situation and

1. Acknowledging the genuinely critical situation of the sector and the role that this cooperative has been playing for over 25 years in the defence of local and coastal fisheries - regionally, nationally and in the European Union;

2. Considering that the crisis being experienced by the sector, along with the delay in implementing any responses to it, and that the procrastination of the protocol payments as well as the withholding of payments by LOTAÇOR as regards the costs and services provided by Porto de Abrigo contributed to aggravate its financial situation;

3. Taking into account that the lack of response to resolve this problem is leading to the aggravation of the working conditions for the men and women office-holders, especially due to the delay of their salary payments, and that, nevertheless, these men and women have been struggling to ensure the development of the activities and commitments of Porto de Abrigo;

4. Noting that this critical situation does not result from any infractions of financial nature, given that the accounts of Porto de Abrigo are subjected to various audits by several entities (IFADAP, INGA, The European Court of Auditors, ESF) and that no irregularities involving the institution and its directors have been detected whatsoever;

5. Estimating that the withdrawal of Porto de Abrigo from the management of ports and that the blocking of the fish collection service provision in São Miguel Island, as decided by LOTAÇOR and by the Regional Under-secretariat for Fisheries, will jeopardise the development of the strategic mission of Porto de Abrigo;

6. Conscious that the end of this Producers Organisation and of its strategic mission represents a setback to the social and environmental sustainable development of this sector;

We, the undersigned men and women citizens, declare our solidarity to Porto de Abrigo and call on the executive and legislative powers of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, as well as on the competent national and European authorities to take urgent measures, required by the direction of this organization as regards unblocking the implementation of a financial restructuring plan that allows Porto de Abrigo to continue to carry out its strategic mission.

The undersigned also call for an in depth discussion to be carried out on the economical, social and environmental crisis faced by the fisheries sector and its consequences, in order to implement short, medium and long term measures that promote socially and ecologically sustainable fisheries.

To subscribe to this declaration sign the online petition:

http://www.peticaopublica.com/?pi=PESCAS26
(Please indicate your profession/working area and address - city, region and country)

For further information:

sol.porto.abrigo@gmail.com