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Undersecretary of Marine Affairs of Galicia, Rosa Quintana.
Galicia defends its fleet interests before EU's landing obligation
SPAIN
Wednesday, December 19, 2018, 00:30 (GMT + 9)
The head of the Undersecretary of Marine Affairs of Galicia, Rosa Quintana, this Tuesday in Brussels, defended the need to take into account the development of the activity of the fleet in relation to the entry into force of the obligation to land catches in January 2019.
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Galician fleet moored in the port of Burela (Lugo) - MUÑIZ
In this sense, during the negotiations of the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EU, Quintana emphasized the commitment achieved when approving the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, through which this obligation is established, intended to be implemented without preventing the possibility of developing the fishing activity.
In this line, the Galician undersecretary appreciated that the European Commissioner of Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, insists on this commitment, both in the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EU in November and in the one being currently held.
Minister of Agriculture of Junta de Castilla y León Milagros Marcos and Regional Undersecretary of Marine Affairs Rosa Quintana, with European Commissioner for the Environment, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella.
In addition, she stressed the importance of succeeding in determining "that no species should function as a choke species and that the obligation to unload catches does not preclude the development of fishing activity".
Quintana recalled that Galicia has been insisting that it clashes head on with the principle of relative stability through which the TACs and fishing quotas are established, since it is a principle, she explained, that was established more than 30 years ago, when there was no obligation to land catches.
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For this reason, Galicia defends greater flexibility between species and zones in the face of the obligation of zero discards and the creation of a pool that all member states can use to prevent accessory species -- that is to say, those of little relevance from capture -- from functioning as choke species preventing the activity of the fleet.
Regarding these proposals and those that are being made within the framework of the working groups of the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EU, Quintana highlighted their value to "help together to improve the management of resources, respect the duty of zero discards and achieve in 2020 the maximum sustainable yield for all species."
A fishmonger offering sardines at her stall at Mercado do Calvario
Another issue facing the negotiations between Spain and Galicia, as representative of the Spanish autonomous communities in fisheries, is that of southern hake, caught in the Bay of Biscay. In relation to this species, for which the European Commission proposes a reduction of 14 per cent, Galicia proposes the immediate implementation of the multi-year plan for Atlantic waters, which establishes the management of the fishery in ranges, since there is a political agreement.
Thus, explained Quintana, it could lead to a 3 per cent increase in the fishing opportunities of this species in relation to last year, which would increase the biomass of the stock by 41 per cent and meet the commitment to achieve the MSY for southern hake in the year 2019.
Regarding Norway lobster, she said that Galicia defends the review of its situation in the Bay of Biscay, since what is being tested with the experimental plan of this species to improve the contribution of data is that "their situation is better than the one they reflected on the data that led to the closure of this fishery."
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