The government of Giorgia Meloni prepared—and Parliament approved—the 2024 annual budget, which includes 100 million euros for an emergency fund for fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry. Willingness to expand the fund for fishermen and boat owners, at a time of tight government budgets, follows pressure on the government from an industry facing threats from blue crab invasions along much of Italy’s coast. A new share of the National Solidarity Fund extends compensation previously limited to natural disasters and exceptional events, to include the spread of invasive species.
Fishing is now included in compensatory interventions that previously applied to agricultural and livestock farms. This extends the contribution relief to fishermen as long requested by the sector. A major change in the budget is a EUR30m provision for a daily allowance for workers linked to the period of fishing closures. The industry is working to stop the Mediterranean invasion of blue crab but without much success, said Senator Maria Nocco of Meloni’s political party Brothers of Italy, and the fishing sector needs added financial support to stave off bankruptcy.
The Senator said that in the past year fishermen have battled the blue crabs from north to south. The government’s expansion of support funds to include fishermen and farmers is a concrete response to the emergencies that these sectors have been experiencing in recent times. With the substantial equalisation of fishing and aquaculture to agriculture the government will be able to ensure a structural guarantee for these realities, restoring equality and dignity.