n a country with a fishing tradition, the number of fishermen keeps on decreasing. For one of the biggest consumers of fish in the world, the catches have dropped.
During 2001, landings in Portuguese ports were 146,000 tons of fresh fish, representing a decrease of 4% as compared as the year before.
Although the value of the landed fish increased reaching 255,141 Euros, the gap is becoming smaller representing just 1.4% up the price in the fish market.
Figures show the extend of the end of the fishing agreement with Mauritania in 2001. Fish landed from Mauritania waters reached 21 tons worth 48 thousand Euros in 2000.
By last year this data went down to zero.Regarding the activity of the Portuguese fleet in foreign fisheries, NAFO is important representing in 2001 half of the catches with 14.9 thousand tons. The second area in importance is the South Atlantic, where the catches represented 600 tons.
With regards to national waters, figures show a reduction in the landings of fresh fish. Although the catches of sardine were up to 2,464 tons, the decreased in the quantity of mackerel by 57% as compared with the year before contributed enormously to the global reduction in fresh fish.
By geographic areas, the continent and The Autonomous Region of Acores represented a decreased in the catches, meanwhile the Autonomous Region of Madeira shows an increase in landings.
Prospects for this year are more optimistic with landings and incomes increasing by 17.9% in January.
