The fishing industry in Rio Grande do Norte estimates a loss of R$ 15 million last month, due to the new coronavirus pandemic, according to the state's Industrial Fisheries Union. The sector employs around 40,000 people in RN, which is one of the largest exporters of prime tuna in the country.

“We need the government to direct the cost of this fleet for three months, so that we don't unemployed this crew, so that these forty thousand people can keep producing”, argues Gabriel Calzavara, president of the Industrial Fisheries Union of Rio Grande do Norte .

A company from the state of Rio Grande do Sul that brings, on average, 300 tons of fish per month from the high seas had its production reduced by 30% in March. The expectation is that in April the activity will be zeroed.

The company's processing sector is at a standstill. Four hundred tons that would be exported, mainly to the United States, were left without buyers. With the crisis, the fishing company gave vacations to 130 of the 180 employees.

Entrepreneur Arimar Filho, owner, says he will make efforts to keep the jobs. “We have around 100 fishermen and this team is difficult to form. So we're going to do our best to preserve everyone's jobs”, he says.

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