However, the decrease was at least offset by the significant price hike that saw a 19.1% surge on 2013 and resulting in an average price of €2.02 per kilo against the €1.70 average price prevailing in 2013.
Hence, the national fleet landed an overall total of 119,890 tons of fish in 2014 with the sardine catch slumping 42.8% and tuna also down 21.2% over this year.
This all served to worsen the deficit ratcheted up by the Portuguese fishing sector and rising by €44 million to total €662.5 of imported fish and fish products, up 7.1% year-on-year.
2014 also saw the ninth consecutive year of contraction in the fleet with the 4,319 vessels registered that year being the lowest since 2006.
Stop the monster trwlers and set up Marine Reserves or Portugal will go the way of "Grand Banks" fished out and still not recovered!!
By Simon from Algarve on 30 May 2015, 20:57