Mediterranean fleets are committed to ensure the sustainability of the stocks in the Mare Nostrum

Mediterranean fleet grouped in the Spanish Fisheries Confederation (CEPESCA) have again shown its initiative to reverse the situation in the Mediterranean, as has been demonstrated in the “Seminar on the status of stocks in the Mediterranean and the approach PPC “, organized by the Directorate General of Fisheries of the European Commission (DG Mare) and the Advisory Council for the Mediterranean (MEDAC) and held this week in Catania (Italy).

Javier Garat, Secretary General of Europêche CEPESCA and president, who was accompanied by José María Gallart and Elvira Morote, of Asopesca – Almeria, and Tony Garau, Mallorcamar OP) has outlined some of the measures proposed by these fleets, currently under evaluation, while participating in this meeting.

According to Garat, “we are at a critical moment to redefine policies and establish best practices to ensure the return to a situation of maximum sustainable yield of the stocks in the Mediterranean Sea. As first actor interested and committed to this goal of sustainability, the sector is actively and in collaboration with the administration and the scientific community working to determine a plan of practical and effective action. If we are to succeed, we must follow a bottom-up approach, ie measures arising from the fisheries sector and that eleven Member States and the European Commission, and not vice versa. ”

In the same vein Fisheries Commissioner, Karmenu Vella, expressed during his opening of this high-level seminar, held 12 years after the Ministerial Declaration of Venice on the development of sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean. “I firmly believe that the EU should lead the search for solutions, particularly in relation to stocks captured by our fleet pointed Vella-. We discuss what we can do at European level and meet our responsibilities as politicians, fishermen, scientists and civil society. We must ensure that all contribute to the solutions. ”

Fence, drag and minor arts towards sustainability

After the meeting held in November 2015 with the encouragement of CEPESCA and participation of representatives of the fleets in the Mediterranean in the categories of drag, fencing and minor arts, currently being agreeing the measures proposed to develop a document It will raise the Government and the European Commission.

Regarding the trawler fleet, they are based on five different types of measures on fishing capacity and uptime, the biological cycle of the species, the ability to catch and gear selectivity, the marketing of products and improving the socio-economic situation of operators and crews. In a sixth category, additional measures that require the involvement of management and scientists are included.

In the first category include, among other things, the closing of the census of the trawl fleet, until the scientific studies advise against it, and authorizing changes -temporales definitivos- modality or other types of fishing stocks which are are in a biologically favorable situation. It also proposes to establish area closures annually in the various fisheries and reduced periods of activity permitted by modality, thus favoring the reduction of fishing effort.

Among the measures relating to the life cycle of the species, Javier Garat has proposed to maintain the current minimum sizes, the establishment of protection zones spatiotemporal for commissioning, breeding and spawning grounds for many species and the protection of areas space- temporary in the coastal strip.

In this same category and for the purse seine fleet CEPESCA proposes, in addition, the increase in the minimum sizes and the capping of daily catch per boat for certain small pelagic species such as sardines and anchovies. This fleet and the minor arts also agree on the recommendation to establish temporary closures or biological rest space in the areas of breeding and reproduction.

Analysis of other sectors and / or impact factors

On the other hand, as scientific studies show, the fleets in the Mediterranean integrated CEPESCA stress that their activity is not solely responsible for the current situation of this sea and request a thorough analysis of the impact of the activity of other sectors. In this sense, CEPESCA demand different administrations to commit to studies, in collaboration with industry, universities and environmental organizations on the causes of pollution in the Mare Nostrum.

Source: CEPESCA