Exciting Start to Sardine Season: Fishermen Report Full Boats and Promising Sales

Promising First Day of Sardine Season

"The boats came almost fully loaded. There’s a lot of fish in the sea!" exclaims António Pereira, just arriving at the port of Leixões in Matosinhos. The fishing vessel Rumo à Pesca brought in 200 baskets (4,500 kilos) of sardines, selling them at 80 cents per kilo. While he notes that the sardines aren't yet the fat ones that can be enjoyed on bread, he considers the first day of the season to be very good.

This year, canning factories have committed to purchasing half of the catch from the 24 boats of the Propeixe - Cooperative of Fish Producers of the North. Pereira smiles, stating, "In the end, having the fish guaranteed is the most important thing."

Agostinho Mata, president of Propeixe, adds, "The sardines are not very big yet, but they are decent." Last year, there were 11 boats under “supply contracts.” This year, the National Association of Canned Fish Industries (ANICP) has gone further: the eight national canning factories working with sardines are guaranteeing to buy at least half of the fish caught by Propeixe's boats at prices ranging from 76 to 88 cents. The agreement was signed yesterday, and fishermen widely accepted it.

"It’s better than not selling. In December 2023, we threw away a lot of sardines. No one wanted them. We had to stop the boat," explains Pereira, recalling a year when Portugal had 37,642 tons to fish but fell more than 10,000 tons short of exhausting the quota.

Last year, the 29,560 tons available were exhausted by early December. This year, there are almost 5,000 more tons to fish, and judging by the excitement on the first day in Matosinhos, "the year is set up to go well."

Pedro Santos from Mestre Lázaro confirms, "It’s still a bit dry, but the size is already good. Last year, we started 15 days later and the fish were smaller." He also brought in the 200 allowed baskets, selling them for 20 euros per basket (88 cents per kilo), all for canning.

Optimism in the Air

"Hopefully, they will need a lot of fish to ensure we have a good season," he remarks. In June, as the popular saints’ festivities arrive, sardines grow larger and prices rise. However, after summer and the frenzy of grilled sardines, ensuring sales is crucial. With the contracts in place, he feels secure, expressing satisfaction with a long-awaited return to the sea.

Gumercindo Rajão, from Rumo da Senhora da Guia, complains, "We were idle since Christmas. That’s a long time." At 64 years old and nearly 50 years at sea, he assures that, "for the first day, it wasn’t bad," and believes that by S. João, the sardines will be "just right." He hopes the prices will be worthwhile.

Now, all that remains is for the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification of Iberian sardines to be issued, which Portugal lost in 2014 due to stock depletion. Jerónimo Viana, from the National Small Scale Fishing Association, believes this certification is coming soon, turning the page on a "dark chapter" in sardine fishing.