Councillor Narvay Quintero acknowledged this Wednesday in Parliament that the Ministry is waiting for Puertos Canarios to transfer a facility at the port of Órzola to activate the first sale point for professional fishermen in Lanzarote.
The project for the first sale point for fishermen in Órzola, Lanzarote, has encountered another delay. The Councillor for Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing, and Food Sovereignty of the Canary Islands Government, Narvay Quintero, admitted this Wednesday in parliamentary session that the initiative is stalled until Puertos Canarios transfers a necessary port facility for its implementation.
A project that is stuck
The deputy from Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista, Luis Alberto Campos, was the one to highlight the issue during the Agriculture committee. Campos denounced that, despite numerous meetings held in recent years, "hardly any progress" has been made on a demand that the fishing sector in Órzola has been advocating for some time.
The parliamentarian emphasized that the local fishermen's association is an example of generational change, with an increasing number of young people joining the profession. "We cannot allow the lack of response from Puertos Canarios to hinder a project that would boost the local economy and ensure the future of artisanal fishing," Campos stated.
In his response, Quintero explained that the Ministry is already prepared to grant the first sale point. The Cabildo of Lanzarote, for its part, has offered to prepare and manage the facilities once Puertos Canarios transfers the property intended for this purpose. "We are waiting for that transfer to be formalized so we can take the next step," the councillor indicated.
Displacements and losses for fishermen
The establishment of this first sale point is crucial for the fishermen of Órzola, who currently have to travel to other ports to market their catches. This incurs additional costs in time and money that burden the profitability of an already tight activity.
Quintero acknowledged the accumulated delay but defended that once operational, the first sale point "will prevent those displacements and improve the working conditions of the fishermen." For the councillor, it is an "essential" infrastructure for the development of professional fishing in the northern area of Lanzarote.
Deputy Campos also took advantage of the committee to denounce the deterioration of the access dock for fishing boats at the port of La Tiñosa, in Puerto del Carmen. He called for urgent actions for safety reasons, as well as other improvements to the facilities.
Tourist pressure and lack of competencies
Quintero agreed that the state of the docks is not adequate to guarantee professional activity. "We have conveyed to Puertos Canarios the need to undertake a reform of these infrastructures," he assured, although he reminded that the responsibility in this matter lies with the port authority, not the Ministry.
The councillor pointed out that the port of La Tiñosa bears "high pressure due to the coexistence of fishing activity with tourist and sports uses", a situation that also affects other ports in the archipelago originally conceived as fishing refuges. "It is necessary to seek a balance that allows all uses to be compatible without harming the primary sector," he added.
Meanwhile, the fishermen of Órzola and Puerto del Carmen continue to await concrete solutions. Time is running out, and the sector demands action, not more promises. In a context of generational change and a commitment to sustainable fishing, administrative agility seems more necessary than ever.
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