80/20 Principle in Fishing Corporate Welfare Programme
A few fishermen most be getting a lot of money from taxpayers. I have been working on and off on fisheries subsidies form over 15 years and my guestimate is that at least 80% of the billions of euros a year in welfare subsidies go to no more than 300 vessels.
Other Peoples’ Money – The Rich Helping Themselves
Many of these vessels are built by corporate welfare subsidies, kept operating at sea by subsidies to upgrade and pay for their huge fuel bills, and often get the EU to pay most of the cost for fishing in foreign nation’s waters.
The Cheque Is In the Post
Some people may think this is a good way to make a living. I don’t think any self respecting fishermen, who has an innate sense of individualism, thinks that he has a right to fish by virtue of corporate welfare cheques. Any company that is dependent for its monthly existence on getting a cheque in the post from the EU won’t last long.
A House of Cards – One More Spanish Bailout?
Also, someday the game will end. I read today that Gallican fishermen were outraged that they won’t be able to fish in Mauritian’s waters anymore.
It was reported in FIS that: ” After the meeting, Anacef managing director, José Ramón Fontán, recalled that the 24 cephalopod vessels generated a turnover of EUR 50 million and directly employed 400 workers.”
This sounds a lot of money, but I wonder if without the corporate welfare from the EU and Spanish government that fleet of corporate welfare dependents would have ever been able to make a living?
Kept the Truth Hidden On Who Have Their Snouts in the Subsidies Trough
The EU, vessel owners, and many Member State governments have been very reluctant to let the public how many billions they are dolling out to rich and large fishermen.
Chris Davies, the British Liberal MEP, who is active working on the reform of the CFP, has brought his Manchester liberal ideas of the role of Parliamentarians to the European Parliament. He wants to know who exactly is getting the corporate welfare cheques .
He recently asked:
” 1. Will the Commission confirm that it maintains a record of all EU vessels fishing under fisheries partnership agreements, including their name, flag, external marking, details of the owner of the vessel, subsidies of any kind paid towards the vessel’s construction or equipping, and record of any IUU infringements, as well as similar details for EU vessels fishing under agreements between individual Member States and third countries?
2. If the Commission does not keep such records, will it explain how it is able properly to monitor the use of EU funds and respect for EU requirements?
3. If such records are maintained, will it publish them now in response to this question or provide details of where they can be publicly inspected?”
I suspect many of the vessels will be like the Albacan who has got over €1,200,000 in subsidies to help it fish tuna in the Indian Ocean and elsewhere. You can see it in action below.
This vessel is just one owned by Europe’s largest tuna boat owner – Albacora. It would be interesting to learn how much this Madrid based company got in subsidies to build up his armada of vessels – some of which you can see here.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/fma_Oir9Kto[/youtube]
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