Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Luis Planas (R) talking with his German counterpart Julia Kloeckner (L) in Brussels. (Photo: EFE)
Spain gets the EU to reduce cuts for red seabream and alfonsino
SPAIN
Wednesday, November 21, 2018, 01:40 (GMT + 9)
The agreement reached by European Union ministers regarding the fishing opportunities for deepwater species for 2019 and 2020 softens the cuts proposed by the European Commission for important species for Spain, such as the red seabream of the Bay of Biscay, and recognizes its socio-economic interest.
Red seabream (Photo: Stock file) ►
Among the most significant species and populations for Spain, the EU agreed on the reduction of the TAC for the red seabream of the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Sea of 10 per cent by 2019 compared to 2018, and an additional 10 per cent by 2020, where only by-catches will be allowed to be performed.
This result supposes a great improvement of the initial proposal of the European Commission (EC), which proposed a reduction of 40 per cent on the current TAC, and will allow the maintenance of the activity of the Spanish fleet that inevitably interacts with this species. In return, Spain undertakes to adopt additional management measures, such as the establishment of closed areas for the protection of juveniles.
With regard to the alfonsinos, the other priority identified by Spain, the EU softened the cuts proposed by Brussels and agreed to a reduction of the TAC by 10 per cent, compared to 2018, again exclusively for by-catches.
As in the previous case of the red seabream, it is a species that can lead to choking situations for the Spanish fleet. Choking occurs when a ship dedicated to a main species must stop its activity because it has exhausted the fishing quota for which it had a low quota. The EC initially proposed a 20 per cent cut in the alfonsino.
►Slfonsino (Photo: Stock file)
For the rest of the species of interest to the Spanish fleet, there have been no significant variations with respect to the initial EC proposal, based on the available scientific recommendations. It is worth mentioning the elimination of the greater forkbeard from the TAC system , as requested by Spain.
In addition, Spain achieved the consideration of deep-sea sharks as prohibited species and not zero TAC, which will allow further discarding the anecdotal by-catches that may occur.
Spain also requested that progress be continued to adopt joint management measures with Morocco in the case of the red seabream of the Gulf of Cádiz.
Related article:
- Council of ministers agree on deep-sea stock TACs for 2019 and 2020
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media
|
|