Speaking in a debate with European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis at the CoR plenary session, ECR member and President of the Regional Assembly of Sicily Gaetano Galvagno called for a stronger commitment to Europe's coastal and island regions, warning that the future of fisheries is inseparable from the future of local communities.  

Galvagno highlighted the strategic importance of fisheries for the Mediterranean and for Europe as a whole. He stressed that fishing remains a source of employment, social cohesion and cultural heritage for many coastal communities across the island.  At the same time, he warned that the sector is facing increasing challenges. Rising costs, complex regulatory requirements and competition from imports produced under different standards are placing growing pressure on European fishermen, threatening the long-term viability of many local communities. Sicily, Italy's leading region for fish production, is particularly affected by these developments.  

“There can be no sustainability without competitiveness. We cannot continue asking our fishermen to make additional sacrifices while importing products that do not respect the same rules. If we truly want to protect the sea, we must first guarantee fair conditions for those whose livelihoods depend on it.”   

Looking ahead to discussions on the next Multiannual Financial Framework, Galvagno argued that maritime, coastal and island regions must receive greater attention in future EU policies. "They should be recognised as strategic territories that contribute to food security, blue growth, territorial cohesion and Europe's presence in the Mediterranean", he said. 

“When we defend fisheries, we do not defend only an economic sector. We defend the rights of our coastal communities to continue to exist. We defend the possibility for young Sicilians to build their future in the land where they were born. We defend a fundamental part of Mediterranean and European identity," he concluded.