Grant guidelines approved for the fishing fleet of La Palma

The Island Council of La Palma has made public the final approval of the Regulatory Bases for the granting of subsidies to contribute to the operating expenses of fishing companies with a home port on the island of La Palma, through announcement 1743596 published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife number 101, dated Monday, August 24, 2026. The measure seeks to sustain the viability and continuity of a strategic sector for insular food sovereignty.

The Plenary Commission for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Animal Welfare, and Food Sovereignty initially approved the bases in the session of June 15, 2026, published in BOP number 74, dated June 22, 2026. Following the public exhibition period without any claims or suggestions being presented, and in compliance with article 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime, the bases have been definitively approved and their full text is made public for general knowledge.

A sector hit by the drop in catches

The statement of motives recalls that in 2025, the Council had already established a similar aid measure given the risk of loss of stability in the sector, motivated by the decrease in fishing catches, both of pelagics and all species in general. In 2026, catches declined again, by 6.74% compared to the previous year, confirming the constant instability suffered by the activity.

The aid line is integrated into the current Strategic Subsidy Plan of the Council of La Palma 2025-2027, approved by the Insular Governing Council on February 21, 2025, within line 36 of the Area of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Animal Welfare, and Food Sovereignty, according to the update for the 2026 annual period approved on May 22, 2026.

Beneficiaries and eligible expenses

Fishing companies—natural or legal persons who own one or more vessels dedicated to fishing—whose vessels are registered in the General Register of the Fishing Fleet, have their home port in La Palma, and maintain their activity at the end of the application submission period, may apply.

• Contributions to Social Security for vessel personnel under the Special Regime for Maritime Workers, both self-employed and employed, are eligible for subsidies.
• Companies with vessels of Gross Tonnage (GT) equal to or greater than 10, due to their higher operating costs, may additionally receive complementary aid.
• The maximum amount per beneficiary will be set by each call for applications, provided that the aid does not exceed 100% of the approved budget.

Priority distribution and processing

The grant is calculated using a formula that weights the approved budget of each application against the available credit. If there is a surplus, it is distributed first among vessel owners with a GT equal to or greater than 10 and, secondly, among those with a GT of less than 10, up to the maximums established by the call for applications.

• The application submission period may not be less than 10 business days from the publication of the call summary.
• Applications shall be submitted through the Cabildo’s electronic office, including the application and Social Security expense annexes.
• The guidelines shall have indefinite validity until an express agreement by the competent body modifies or terminates them.

The final approval of these guidelines consolidates an economic support instrument that the Cabildo considers key to ensuring the stability and continuity of the fishing sector in La Palma, especially for the larger fleets, which are the most exposed to the fluctuations in catches. This reinforces the utilization of local resources and the food sovereignty of the island, within a context of a sustained decline in activity.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, number 101, Monday, August 24, 2026, section III. Local Administration (Cabildo Insular de La Palma), page 23850 (official reference: announcement 1743596).