The agreement between Spain and Portugal promises to expand
The Luso-Spanish Fisheries Committee has welcomed the commitment that sets standards both fleets access to inland waters of the two countries and border agreements Minho and Guadiana. It has also proposed extending the duration of the Agreement of 2 to 10 years.
The Secretary General of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Andrés Hermida, along with the general director of Natural Resources, Security and Maritime Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sea of Portugal, Miguel Sequeira, presided over the meeting of the Committee Luso Spanish Fisheries (Colep). It was a meeting, which continued talks on the fisheries agreement between Spain and Portugal, held in April 2015 and last February.
Both Administrations have expressed their firm conviction on the important advantages of the bilateral agreement, which establishes rules for access of both fleets to inland waters of the two countries, and the mouth of the Minho and the Guadiana within 12 miles, as a guarantee for the proper management of the respective exclusive economic zones.
Given the stability that this agreement provides operators of both countries, both Portugal and Spain have shown their willingness to extend the duration of two years of current validity, a validity period of 10 years, in line with previous agreements.
It has also been agreed on the need to adjust certain aspects of the current agreement, valid until December and with the possibility of renewal for another year, which, in the opinion of the delegations, is a sufficient time frame to accommodate the interests of both parties.
Source: MAGRAMA
