Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to address your conference today dedicated to the future of fishing in the Azores, even from afar.

With the nearest mainland 1400 kilometres away and with an exclusive economic zone spanning almost a million square kilometres, beautiful Azores islands and your community have a very special relationship with the ocean. Here, the sea is tightly connected with the local life and social fabric. This remarkable relationship not only sustains your community with food security and with a vibrant economy, but it also enriches your cultural heritage.

Your fishing industry is central to this narrative. With around 600 – predominantly small-scale – fishing vessels, you are fishing tuna, swordfish, blue sharks and the iconic blackspot seabream or “voraz”. This activity now accounts for a significant portion of the archipelagos economy, providing a wide range of jobs across the value chain.

As an islander myself, I keenly recognise what the ocean brings us and what our responsibilities towards it are.

In this regard, I fully understand your interest regarding the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation. Our objective with this evaluation is to assess rigorously whether our Regulation is still fit for purpose, or it needs improvement. Focus will be given to all sustainable development pillars: economic, social and environmental.

We will also consider ways to further support the process through which scientific advice is delivered. In that respect it is important to note that scientific advice and assessment play a pivotal role in defining quotas and assessing stock status to ensure we balance ecological health with economic prosperity.

Let me reassure you that this evaluation is being carried out openly, transparently, backed by evidence and extensive stakeholder consultations.

Here, I would like to warmly thank the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries for its valuable feedback to the recent public consultation.

Our intention is to utilise the feedback we have received, built on the positive aspects of the CFP regulation and address any weaknesses that will be pointed out by the evaluation, if needed with legislative action.

I truly believe that all stakeholders should work collectively for a shared, long-term vision, that builds a resilient, competitive and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sector by 2040. 

As islanders, we cherish our oceans as part of our everyday life. Our fishers are the guardians of the ocean. They live it, sail it, and observe it every day, knowing the oceans pulse better than anyone. This is why we need to listen to them and recognise their role in shaping how we adapt to contemporary challenges.

Our policy and commitment is therefore to manage fisheries, so that we can achieve a sustainable and profitable fishing activity, while preserving our cultural heritage, and the livelihoods of the communities depending on the ocean.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Now it is the right time to share your ideas and vision about the future of the fisheries in Azores, Portugal, but also in the EU. We need your strong engagement!

I wish you a fruitful conference and I look forward to hearing your reflections.