Octopus is one of the delicacies that is present on many tables during Christmas and the Algarve shipowners want the tradition to continue. However, the sector is experiencing many difficulties, such as the lack of bait and, although catches have not decreased, and there is no shortage of octopus in the sea, the increase in demand may lead to the stock is not enough.
In an interview with Sul Informação, José Agostinho, president of Association of Octopus Fishing Owners of the Algarve (Armalgarve-Polvo), assumed that the captured octopus should not be sufficient “because consumption has doubled or tripled and the catches remain the same”.
Armalgarve «has been working with Italians or Spaniards, to show that we have the best octopus in the world and this has automatically generated greater demand. But now we don't have enough for all that. There are export orders, but there is not enough octopus for everyone. We are looking for solutions so that, at this time, this traditional dish will never be lacking on Portuguese tables and also companies that export to various parts of the world will not be lacking either».
With the increase in demand, the price tends to rise and has already «increased by about 10 to 15% and, until Christmas, it will still fluctuate. Since September, it has been noticed more. There was advertising through television, newspapers… the quality of the octopus is increasingly known and this has increased demand».
Despite this price increase, José Agostinho says that it "has stabilized". But, he explains, «in a joint work between Armalgarve and Docapesca, we taught people to eat octopus, we promoted new ways of cooking, promotions were carried out, we involved restaurants and hotels, foreigners also started to eat octopus and we are concerned that we cannot meet all this demand».
There are several reasons for the catches not to increase, but José Agostinho highlights one: “the lack of bait”. «We used to work with sardines in the past, but now it's impossible, and the mackerel that came to replace sardines is few and far between and expensive».
According to the head of Armalgarve, “the lack of capture of mackerel is very large and the boats have to stay idle for two, three weeks, up to a month, without bait to work. We try to replace it with what appears, such as bogas or black horse mackerel, but they are not alternatives, because there are not enough quantities. For this reason, the boats waste weeks and do not work and, if they do not work, they do not guarantee a monthly fee to safeguard families that are dependent on octopus fishing. This is serious and is harming the activity, it is bringing it to a halt».
The lack of income from octopus fishing is causing many boats to abandon this art. «Quarteira once had 40 boats fishing for octopus, now it has 9 or 10. Octopus fishing is disappearing in Quarteira and in some parts of the Algarve. We are worried. We've already tried to include octopus fishing with buckets [without bait], to fill the void, but not everyone has adapted,” says the shipowner.
Therefore, José Agostinho asks for help from the Government, which is "preparing small changes in the legislation and we hope that it does something related to this activity".
The shipowner considers that “it was important to open fishing with crab, with live bait, which was another alternative to fill the gaps. Also that we be assigned the AIS [system of tracking] to have greater control over the excess amount of art, in addition to safeguarding vessels, for example, in the event of bad weather, which can save human lives».
According to the head of Armalgarve, AIS and the use of chips they will allow 'everyone to practice controlled and organized fishing'.
The shipowner guarantees that “José Apolinário, Secretary of State for the Sea, is aware of the situation and is in his hands. We ask that you respond as soon as possible to this situation, so that we have a more balanced and organized fishing».
Regarding these changes for the sector, José Agostinho hopes that, «from January onwards, there will be news that will help to improve the activity, so that we can help the country… We know that the GDP of the sea does not represent much, but of everything a little helps», he concludes.
Comments