Spanish Fisheries Inspectors Strike A Deal With Officials

The two-month-long fisheries inspectors’ strike in Spain has ended after the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food and trade union Workers’ Commission (CCOO) came to an agreement on Wednesday. However, another union, Ela, with a small representation of workers, clarified that it has not backed down from the protests, and will make a decision in a few days. Increased pay, enhanced training, early retirement, considering the effort put into the work of inspectors (monitoring and management of fishery resources, and coordination), and the modifications in work periods, were some of the outcomes made at the meeting.

The strike impacted the annual bluefin fishing event, Almadrabas in Cadiz, last month. The latest news was a relief to bluefin fishers who have been undergoing tough times, as inspectors are critical during Almadrabas season. They are in charge of monitoring the fishing regulations in the industry, including validating catch documents, issuing certifications for the slaughtered fish, and registering them on platforms for export.