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The Cluster of fishing companies in third countries (Cluster de Empresas Pesqueras en Países Terceros, in Spanish) is an association of associations of fishing companies that, having constituted joint ventures, have interests in non-Community countries. Cluster headquarters are located in Madrid, while its approximately 122 members, with their 370 vessels, are represented by ten associations distributed between the Spanish capital, Galicia, Andalusia, the Canary Islands and Italy. Since the Cluster was set up late in 2004, its delegates strive for joint ventures to be granted the importance that they actually deserve within the framework of the European Union. Indeed, we should bear in mind that this kind of society provides European market with noble, high-quality nutritional value species. Besides, joint ventures abide by Community regulations as regards hygiene, health and marketing-related issues. We are talking about seventeen thousand tons of not manipulated high protein food of marine animal origin which undoubtedly enrich Europeans diet. Furthermore, joint ventures generate numerous high qualification and fair wage income job positions for Community, European and local citizens. They also sustain in EU territory, almost directly, an important business network of activity auxiliary to the fleet that results in substantial socioeconomic benefits. Likewise, they are an efficient formula to establish a great number of crew members in their countries of origin who, otherwise, would very likely end up swelling the lists of emigrants hardly accommodated within EU territory. Last but not least, joint ventures contribute to the improvement of catch control and assure security in the food chain, given their philosophy of sustainable exploitation of fishing resources. To sum up, joint ventures are important tools of market supply, development cooperation, stability and preservation of ecosystems. Nonetheless, the achievement of all these aims is not possible but with the support of national and EU institutions. This has been demonstrated by the successes reaped by the Cluster thanks to the assistance bestowed upon it by the Secretariat General of Maritime Fisheries.
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