Abel Losada stresses that the government responds to a “historical demand” by allowing the grazing and sowing of seafood during the cessation of activity

The subdelegate of the Government in Pontevedra, Abel Losada, met this morning at the fishermen’s brotherhood Sano Juan together with a group of round-table mariscadoras to address the interpretative change promoted by the Government that allows to carry out tasks of rareo and sementira while the workers receive aid for cessation of activity.
Losada, who was accompanied by the president of the Marisqueo Group at the foot of Redonda, Ana Belén Sotelino, of the mayor of Redonda, Digna Rivas, and municipal councilors and #councilman, described the measure as “an act of justice for the people of the sea, which allows to respond to a historical demand of the sector.” The subdelegate stressed the benefits of the rareo and sementira, which prevents future cessation of activity due to lack of product in the banks. “I had not felt forbidden to carry out these tasks of sadness and relocation during the cessation, because in the long term, it results in greater production and activity,” he said.
Losada explained that this claim was transferred to the director of the ISM, Elena Martínez, as well as to the Federation of Brotherhoods itself, by the directors of the Social Institute of the Mariña (IMS) of Vigo and Vilagarcía, Rosa María Alonso and Nerea Álvarez. In this sense, he highlighted “the sensitivity not only of the ISM, but also of the General Directorate of Social Security, whose General Director, Marta Morano, signed the new interpretative criterion that allows the workers of the Special Regime of Seafarers (REM) to carry out this type of work on the beaches without losing their rights due to cessation of activity”. And finally, he alluded to the rigour of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, #Luís Planas, “always ready to defend the primary sector”.
Abel Losada also recalled that this petition had already been formulated by the brotherhoods to the Government of Spain in 2013, when it was presided over by Mariano Rajoy “and not only was it rejected, but the possibility that vigilance had been made to avoid furtivism or common cleanings was also given a slam.”
The subdelegate explained that the Government of Pedro Sánchez as early as 2019 took a first step by admitting the possibility of cleaning and monitoring in cases of closure of the rías for reasons of force majeure by considering them “compatible with the perception of the cessation of activity benefit”. The first step is now added to this new advance that admits the compatibility of the perception of the cessation of activity benefit of the workers of the REM “with the performance of the functions of sementira and transfer of bivalves that are essential for the maintenance of the harvest during the time of temporary cessation of activity”.
Losada stressed that the 2,207 mariscadoras and mariscadores of the brotherhoods of Redonda, Arcade, Vilaboa and Pontevedra will benefit from this measure. “The primary sector is key to our economy and is being affected by climate change, so it is important that all administrations take structural measures and not just short-term measures to support seafarers, and especially women who earn their living by sheltering on our beaches.” The deputy delegate applauded the work of the women of the sea in Galicia, who “are an example in Europe and Latin America in the extractive organization of seafood”.
The mariscadoras took advantage of the meeting with the subdelegate to express the need for improvement actions in the bottom of the estuary, as well as their claims in relation to the Censantes pier, which they already presented to the autonomous body of Portos de Galicia. Losada undertook to study and transfer these requests to the Ministry and the Regional Administration.
According to data from the ISM, the shellfish harvesters of the brotherhood of Redonda are currently in cessation of activity (since February 1) the cause of the low salinity of the waters and are scheduled to continue until April 30. There are 9 requests for collection of the severance benefit. The last time they were in this situation was in July 2023 due to the mortality of seafood due to climatic conditions. A total of 59 applications for termination benefits were resolved favourably.
In the province of Pontevedra there are a total of 3,624 people registered in the REM and who work in the shellfish banks of the Rías de Vigo, Pontevedra and Arousa.