Galicia calls for a gradual elimination of discards – FIS.com (Subscription)

Rosa Quintana, the head of the department of the Sea of Galicia. (Photo: regional Government of Galicia)

Galicia calls for a gradual elimination of discards

SPAIN
Tuesday, December 20, 2016, 21:40 (GMT + 9)

The Concierge of the Sea of Galicia defends the elimination of discards in fisheries gradually and always looking for alternatives on the feasibility of the fleet, that is to say, always respecting the parameters of social, economic and environmental.

So what explained the owner of this agency, Rosa Quintana, at the opening of the second conference on the application of the obligation of landing. Gear selectivity and utilization of discards, organized by the Cooperative of Shipowners of the Fishing Port of Vigo (ARVI).

Quintana reiterated that the elimination of discards is a concern of the Government since minute one and that it shared in its entirety with the sector as "the application of the policy of discard-zero is unfeasible without having some technical measures that make it possible."

he Also recalled that this policy clashes head-on with the evil so-called principle of relative stability, which is what governs the allocation of TACS and fishing quotas in the EU.

in Addition, he took the opportunity to recall that after the United Kingdom voted in favour of a “Brexit”, his department commissioned a report to the Instituto Salvador de Madariaga that sets out explicitly that the withdrawal of one of the countries that has most benefited from the system of allocation of fishing possibilities on the relative stability, as is the case of the Uk, could be the occasion of reviewing this criterion, in a way that would contribute to advance in the way that facilitates the policy of landing of all catches, he explained.

In this sense, Quintana also moved the need to delve into the use of the discards of face-to add value to fish species that today do not have it, or use some species in the development of subprodutos of the fishing.

The counselor of the Sea, he also took the opportunity to remember that for the application of the discards to be effective and real, it is necessary to increase the fishing opportunities of the galician fleet. In this respect, and following the agreement achieved in the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EU in the agreed quotas of the next year, Quintana welcomed the agreement as positive in general lines, as it achieved significant improvements thanks to the negotiations made from the Ministry, which provided scientific arguments and socio-economic to get more fees from those set out in the European Commission initially.

In this line, he explained that the overall amount of fishing possibilities for Spain amounted in 44.144 tons on the attribution of this year, an increase of 20 % more. This means that it would be an increase in economic value of approximately EUR 76 million for the fleet (considering the average price of fish and seafood during this year).

finally, Quintana stressed the importance of developing meetings such as this to address concerns about the future of the Galician maritime fisheries.

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