The Regional Secretary for Natural Resources highlighted today in Horta the importance of the implementation of the Azores Maritime Training School on the island of Faial. The government official considered it "a key initiative for the development of maritime professions" as well as for the promotion of social integration and the creation of jobs.

"This training centre is intended to achieve a level of excellence and meet the demand for certified seafarers in the regional labour market. The school may also become a hub for other interested parties in traditional and emerging maritime professions," said Luís Neto Viveiros. The government official spoke at the Legislative during the debate on the proposed Regional Plan and Budget for 2014.

The Regional Secretary reiterated the priority status awarded by the Regional Government "to the reinforcement of maritime and marine activities with relevance in our lives as well as to development of the major vectors that will enhance the future socio-economic development based on the so-called blue economy."

In compliance with the Government Programme and the Medium-term Guidelines for 2013-2016, Luís Neto Viveiros noted the strengthening of "fundamental strategies to the development of production activities in Agriculture and Fisheries."

"In the next programming period, the Government of the Azores also aims to increasingly stimulate the entry of youngsters into the agricultural sector in order to promote the renewal of a sector led by dynamic people with entrepreneurial skills, who are also capable of marketing the image of Azorean products and simultaneously ensure their quality and safety," said the government official.

Luís Neto Viveiros assured that the Azorean Government will "will continue to exert pressure on the EU Commission" to safeguard milk production in the archipelago in view of the dismantling of the milk quota system. In this context, he recalled that the "agricultural and animal husbandry sectors represent nine percent of the Region's GDP in the primary sector, being a relevant indicator compared to the national average of two percent."

The government official noted that this sector has "a considerable relevance in terms of jobs in the Region," According to data released by SREA regarding the second quarter of 2013, this sector employs 13.8 percent of the working population, which is well above the national average of 10.5 percent or the EU average of 5 percent."

In terms of agricultural diversification, the Regional Secretary announced that the Government "will continue to invest in the revitalisation of traditional cultures and whose production levels are low in the Region, thus reducing our dependency from abroad and boosting our internal market."

Mentioning the Regional Veterinary Laboratory on the island of Terceira, Luís Neto Viveiros stated that its conclusion in 2014 is of "strategic interest to the Azores," while the entry into operation of the São Miguel Exhibition Park will contribute to the "promotion" of Azorean products and, consequently, to "the increased competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector."

"The fisheries sector is another determinant area of the Azorean economy, with important implications in wealth generation, social inclusion and preservations of cultural values," said Luís Neto Viveiros. The government official added this activity "represents a significant contribution to regional exports" and ensures "the territorial cohesion of several small communities scattered across the archipelago."

"We will foster new forms of marketing fish of lower commercial value with the aim of contributing to the improvement of the domestic supply and, consequently, replacing the import of low quality products in the marketing circuits of frozen fish products," said the Regional Secretary.

In this context, Luís Neto Viveiros reiterated the goal of "fishing with more quality but in less quantity."

Under the public investment planned for 2014, the Regional Secretary for Natural Resources announced the conclusion of the contract works for the construction of Rabo de Peixe and Povoação fishing ports as well as the beginning of the construction of a cold storage plant in Ponta Delgada, whose contract work is at the award stage.

"With another strategic investment for the Azores, the Region's cold storage capacity for fishing products will be reinforced, hence complying with our strategy to raise prices and improve quality, to which we are fully committed," underlined Luís Neto Viveiros.

The proposed plan for 2014 also provides significant financial support to the scientific research of fishing resources as well as of the Azores sea, through the signing of cooperation agreements with IMAR Centre at the University of the Azores.

In the field of Environment and Land Management, the Regional Secretary announced the completion, by 2015, of the network of Environmental Interpretation Centres and the opening of the Pedreira do Campo and Serra de Santa Bárbara Interpretation Centres on Santa Maria and Terceira, respectively. Both centres will open next year.

"We will conclude the construction works of the Pineapple Culture Interpretation Centre and we will move forward with the necessary procedures to carry out the contract works for the construction of the "Casa dos Fósseis" (House of Fossils) on the island of Santa Maria and the "Casa do Vulcões" (House of Volcanoes) on the island of Pico," revealed the government official.
 
With regard to interventions on water courses, the Government will conclude next year the interventions in Ribeira do Testo and Grota do Tapete, village of Porto Judeu; Ribeira do Cabo da Vila, village of Lagoa; Ribeira do Vilão, municipality of Ribeira Grande. Additionally, the Government is preparing the procedures for interventions in Fajãzinha, Flores; Ribeira Quente and Pilar da Bretanha, São Miguel; Prainha do Norte, Pico.
 
With the conclusion of the works of the Waste Processing Centres on Faial and Santa Maria, the Government of the Azores will complete the regional network of Waste Processing Centres by 2014, which will be followed by the launching of contract works for the sealing of dumps and landfills; these interventions are scheduled to start on the islands of Flores, Corvo and Graciosa.

"We believe that the reinforcement of public environmental policies is a fundamental factor in the introduction of important structuring changes. In this regard, the Investment Plan for 2014 represents an effective contribution to an adequate relation between Human Beings and Nature," concluded the Regional Secretary for Natural Resources.