The Economics of the Mad House
I knew the value of the Europe’s fishing subsidies were high, and certainly high as compared to the €6.5 billion a year income the industry brings in.
There are around 135,000 fishermen whose average income is €18,350. Of course, the wages vary dramatically between fisheries and countries.
Now, the EU and Member States give away a few billion a year to some in the industry through direct and indirect grants of taxpayers money. This sort of thing is called a subsidy. Some people support subsidies and others, like me, don’t like them.
A good way to keep things quiet about the scale of an issue, is to make it very difficult to make sure anyone can find out how much money is being given away and to who.
Well, in 2011, the EU’s own advisers took a stab at the direct subsidies be handed out. They estimated that it came to €201.2 million
Now, that does not sound too bad. But, it misses out hell of lot of aid.
Some Things Should Be Hidden
Oceana ran the numbers in 2009. They came up with a larger number. Well, it’s a lot larger. That estimated that the support from the EU and Member States came to: €3,317,712,306
Now, this comes out a subsidy for each fishermen of €24,575. That is more than the average wage of €18,350.
Now, I know the subsidies are not going to fishermen directly, but this makes this makes British Leyland look like a going concern.
Who Wants Change
Only Germany wants to end this and voted against a deal by the Member States to slighltly alter the current mad hatters finance scheme. The European Parliament seems to want to back them.
I hope hard working families in Europe do not hear about where their money is going.