Photography: Daniel Dist
Almost eleven years ago, the Ericeira Professional Fishermen’s Association (APPER) was featured on RTP.
Under the title “Fishermen of Ericeira”, in February 2015, RTP 1 and later RTP 3 aired reports about this local professional association, which aims to strengthen the voice of fishermen in dealings with the relevant authorities.
between conversations about the species most commonly caught and complaints regarding the conditions of the fishing port, there were also stories of scares and accidents at sea
Founded at the beginning of that year with the goal of ensuring better working conditions for Ericeira’s fishermen—particularly through solving the issues affecting the local fishing port—APPER has since managed to win several of its demands. One of these successes contributed to the modernization of its traditional fishing fleet, although some key problems remain unresolved.
Both television segments, led by journalist Filipa Costa, were filmed at the Ericeira Fishing Port.
In the first report (broadcast on RTP 1 on February 4), which focused on the formation of APPER, interviews were conducted with fishermen João Dias, António Franco Alberto, Eduardo and Henrique Ventura, as well as Hélder Sousa Silva, then the Mayor of Mafra. Between discussions about the most frequently caught species and complaints about the port’s conditions—which often prevent boats from setting out to sea, bringing serious financial consequences for fishermen—there is also room for accounts of daily work-related scares and accidents. Filipa Costa mentions that around 50 to 60 fishermen were active in Ericeira, and that the construction of the second phase of the port, or southern section, remained incomplete, despite the previously announced extension of the sea wall.
Later, on February 28, RTP 3 recorded statements from António Alberto, then President of the Ericeira Professional Fishermen’s Association, and João Carlos “Carlota”, who pointed out that there were “around 20 boats” operating at the port, compared to more than sixty in the past—a decline caused by poor port conditions that prevented vessels from going to sea and damaged them. Interestingly, in this report, RTP reused the exact same footage (and statements) from Hélder Sousa Silva that had been shown in the February 4 broadcast.
At the end of 2023, Márcio Barros, President of the Ericeira Professional Fishermen’s Association (APPER), told AZUL that “preserving this craft is part of what it means to be a jagoz—someone from Ericeira—who wants to keep traditions alive. I can’t imagine that tourism would be possible in the same way if we weren’t a fishing village with such a rich heritage.”
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
