Vice president of Cantabria and Fisheries Minister signing the collaboration agreement to perform programs. (Photo: Gob. of Cantabria)

MARE to monitor bivalve mollusk production areas in Cantabria

SPAIN
Thursday, April 26, 2018, 01:40 (GMT + 9)

The Government of Cantabria has commissioned the public company MARE to carry out the surveillance program for the production of bivalve mollusks and the collection of waste at the Meruelo landfill this year.

For this, regional vice president and Minister of Universities and Research, Environment and Social Policy Eva Díaz Tezanos and Minister of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food Jesus Oria have signed a collaboration agreement, for an amount exceeding EUR 139,400.

In compliance with the agreement, the public company MARE (Environment, Water, Waste and Energy, SA) is committed to performing the necessary tasks for the collection and analysis of mollusk samples and physical-chemical parameters necessary for the sanitary control of the shellfish production zones in Cantabria.

They will also carry out the coordination of the collection and transport of the samples collected by the shellfishers to the laboratory of the Ministry of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food and the corresponding payment to the shellfish collectors. Likewise, they will be responsible for the procedures for sending and paying the fees corresponding to the accredited laboratory for the techniques required in Galicia (INTECMAR).

To all this, related to the control activity of bivalve mollusk production and of the fishing activity in general, MARE will also be in charge of the treatment of non-hazardous waste derived from these in the landfill of Meruelo.

For its part, the Ministry of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food will make it available to MARE the necessary vessels to carry out sampling of the quality network of mollusk production areas, as well as the participation of auxiliary fisheries technicians.

It will also provide the necessary material to carry out the samplings as well as a room enabled for the processing of the samples in the Laboratory and Control Service of the Government of Cantabria.

Regional vice-president Eva Díaz Tezanos highlighted the importance of this agreement to improve the exhaustive water controls that make it possible to obtain periodic analyzes of its quality. This will make it possible to warn the future cases of red tides and ensure sufficient health and hygiene conditions in the mollusks caught in the production areas of Cantabria for subsequent food consumption.

For his part, Minister of Rural Affairs, Fisheries and Food Jesus Oria said that the implementation of this agreement will strengthen food security around the production of bivalve mollusks of Cantabria, a subject of particular concern to consumers of the region.

In addition, he highlighted the efforts of the regional government, and especially his department, to revitalize the sector by strengthening food security around their productions and the different actions aimed at the recovery of the shellfish banks that are being developed around Marisquera Recovery Plan, which was launched at the beginning of the legislature.

The signing of the agreement was also attended by MARE general director Felipe Lavín and Fisheries general director Marta López.

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