3. Modernization Programs 



The Portuguese Council of Ministers allocated 

 $150 million to rebuild the Portuguese fishing fleet in 

 1983. The five year plan includes funding for the 

 construction and outfitting of 370 vessels, including 

 150 vessels for the artisanal fleet, 34 trawlers for the 

 industrial/pelagic fleet, 34 vessels for coastal 

 fisheries, 20 tuna seiners, and 15 freezer trawlers. 

 The plan also called for the modernization of 60 

 fishing vessels. The program was designed to 

 increase the tonnage of the Portuguese fishing fleet 

 from 292,000-GRT in 1981 to 496,000-GRT by 

 1987." Despite this announcement, modernization 

 of the Portuguese fleet lagged and many of the 

 vessels were 10 to 15 years old when Portugal joined 

 the EC on January 1, 1986. On July 4, 1986, the EC 

 announced a program to modernize Portugal's aging 

 fleet." The purpose of the program was to 

 restructure the fishing fleet by replacing obsolete 

 vessels and modernizing vessels in service. The plan 

 called for 70 vessels to be modernized and over $55 

 million in funds to be spent modernizing the fleet. 

 The Multiannual Guidance Program (MAGP) for the 

 Portuguese fleet called for continued modernization 

 of the fleet including redeploying fishing activities in 

 coastal areas.-" 



Funding for fleet modernization between 1986 

 and 1990 amounted to $165 million and was 

 provided primarily by the EC and the Government 

 of Portugal. Funding for upgrading the fishing fleet 

 amounted $20 and $145 million was earmarked for 

 the construction of 127 new vessels. Approximately 

 $211 million were used for modernizing Portugal's 

 aging port infrastructure and fish processing 

 industry.^' 



4. Decommissioning Programs 



The EC's Multiannual Guidance Program 

 (MAGP) for the Portuguese fleet called for a slight 

 reduction in the size of the fleet from 216,000-GRT 

 in 1986 to 210,000-GRTby 1991, while the fleet was 

 being modernized. Portuguese fishermen took 

 advantage of EC decommissioning programs to 

 decommission 45 vessels between 1987 and 1988.-- 

 The decommissioned vessels included the Rio Lima 

 (1,329-GRT) which was sold to a third country in 

 1988, the Capitao Ferreira (735 -GRT) which was 

 scrapped, the Nuno Filipe (1,299-GRT), and the 



Senhora do Mar (1,161 -GRT) which were both sold 

 to third countries in 1988." The Portuguese high- 

 seas fleet declined from 74 vessels in 1986 to 54 

 vessels in 1992, a decrease of 20 vessels since 

 Portugal joined the EC. 



5. Shipyards 



The Mar de Hielo (approximately 2,056-GRT) 

 was built in Portuguese shipyards for delivery to a 

 customer in Spain in 1966, thus establishing 

 Portuguese shipyards as qualified to produce high- 

 seas fishing vessels. -'' Portuguese shipyards still have 

 the capacity to produce high-quality vessels, but 

 appear to have lagged behind the Spanish in the 

 development of new and innovative fishing vessels 

 after the 1970s and into the 1980s. Fishing News 

 International in July 1992 reported that the Sao 

 Jacinto shipyards, which were working on the Iris Do 

 Mar, a large stem trawler, was also busy attempting 

 to work on a variety of new trawlers being built 

 thanks to the availability of EC grants to Portuguese 

 fishermen.^ 



6. International Agreements 



Prior to accession to the European Community, 

 Portugal negotiated agreements with the German 

 Democratic Republic, Japan, Morocco, Mozambique, 

 South Africa, Spain, and the Soviet Union. 

 Portuguese fishermen also had historical fishing 

 interests in Angola, Canada, Gambia, Guinea 

 (Bissau), and Senegal. Upon entry into the EC, the 

 responsibility for negotiating new or replacement 

 agreements shifted to the Community.^* 



In accordance with the EC accession treaty, 

 Portugal's third country agreements were guaranteed 

 by the EC. In the case of a new country agreements, 

 with whom the EC holds no fishing agreement, the 

 EC agreed to negotiate agreements to ensure the 

 traditional fishing activities of the member state are 

 not disrupted. 



Since accession to the EC in 1986, the only 

 bilateral fishing agreement retained by Portugal is the 

 fishing agreement with the Republic of South Africa 

 signed in 1979. This treaty entered into effect in 

 1988 and provides Portugal with an annual fishing 

 quota of 700 tons." 



133 



