Life returned to the fishing port of Arrecife on Monday. The tranquility, which no one liked, but which was the dominant note this summer in Puerto Naos, was broken on Monday morning when the Ave María Segundo docked at the pier, the first newly built tuna vessel to arrive in the capital in a long time, at least since the new fishing agreement with Morocco was signed.
Its proud owner, Aquilino Arrocha, shows off the new vessel to his friends and old colleagues, which shines with its own light in the port. Seasoned sailors go down to the engine room to see the new marvel that has arrived in situ.
Built in the shipyards of Asturias
The tuna vessel was built in the Cudilleros shipyards, in Asturias. But Arrocha commissioned his vessel almost a year ago, before the aid for the renewal of the fleet was approved and long before Marcos Páez took the breeders from Conejero to the Avilés shipyards to show them the new technologies and advances in the world of naval construction.
In any case, the skipper ordered the construction of the tuna vessel before the agreement with Morocco was finalized, so as its captain told LA VOZ, "this vessel is destined for tuna fishing in the Canary Islands fishing ground, or in Morocco's, if it opens".
Although at the time of the order the aid for the renewal of the fleet had not yet been approved, Arrocha did comply with the conditions under which aid is granted to fishing vessels docked in the ports of the Canary Islands Community, and previously, he scrapped the old vessel, the Ave María. "Taking advantage of the aid they say there is, although they haven't helped me yet, but I'm working on it".
Hopeful with the fishing agreement
The shipowner was hopeful with the fishing agreement with the Alawi monarchy, where according to Arrocha "there is still a future, especially if it could be worked as before, unloading the catch here, in Lanzarote".
The skipper recalled that before the previous fishing agreement was cancelled in 1992, the Ave María (Primero) fished in the Sahrawi fishing ground, so its shipowner hopes that on this occasion the authorities will remember him when distributing fishing licenses among the breeders from Conejero.
After the termination of that agreement, Arrocha did not take advantage of the scrapping financed by the European Union and continued fishing with his tuna vessel in the waters of the Archipelago, while many others took advantage of the aid to dismantle their boats. "I don't even want to hear the word scrapping, and even less now with what the boat has cost me. If the Government helps and lets us work, which is what we ask, fishing can have a future".
As of today, the Ave María Segundo cannot yet go fishing, because its skipper does not yet have all the papers in order.
Arrocha regretted that the central Government does not do more to solve problems such as those that occurred on several Canary Islands boats in waters near the Savage Islands, where they were detained a few months ago by the coastal authorities of Portugal, for an alleged invasion of Portuguese territorial waters. The fishermen do not agree that these waters belong to the Azores Islands and demand greater involvement from Zapatero's Executive when defending the legitimate interests of the Canary Islanders. "They are cornering us everywhere, they don't want to let us work. We have always gone up and we had never had problems until now".
Up to 14 crew members
The vessel that shone yesterday in Puerto Naos is 24.5 meters in total length, 20 meters in beam. It also has a fuel capacity of 25 tons, a salt water capacity of 30 tons, which is what really keeps the bait alive, and a catch capacity of 20 tons. The tuna vessel is prepared, despite its small size at first glance, to admit 14 crew members, although Arrocha says that he normally works with twelve.
The vessel has all the innovations and safety measures required by European legislation. A large part of the tuna vessel is made of fiberglass. It has an emergency exit, CO2 in the engine room, etc.
