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Mackerel download. (Photo: Juan Murias/Copyright: FIS)
Galician Shipowners foresee a ‘disastrous’ mackerel season
SPAIN
Wednesday, February 05, 2014, 01:50 (GMT + 9)
Shipowners form Galicia do not have good expectations for mackerel (Scomber scombrus) fishing in Galician waters, which they currently foresee as “disastrous”.
The members of the trawler industry complain that fishing quotas proposed by the General Secretariat of Fisheries are “ridiculous” and warn that the catch possibilities will be exhausted in just three months.
In their opinion, it is “impossible” for the fishery to be profitable during 2014, newspaper La Opinion informed.
This year, each boat has just over 57.2 tonnes of mackerel and the entire fleet (102 vessels), about 6,480 tonnes to catch in the Cantabrian and Northwest fishery.
In late January, the Secretariat, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Magrama) decided to open the mackerel fishing in that national fishery.
According to the resolution published in the Official Gazette (BOE), the boats registered for bottom trawling catch of the pelagic resource will be entitled to fish for it.
The authority established that the fishing would run from 30 January in waters of ICES zones Vlllc and IXa.
Meanwhile, the smaller gear and siege fleet has still not reached an agreement for the allocation of fishing opportunities.
According to Torcuato Teixeira, secretary general of shipowners’ association from A Coruña PescaGalicia, “The quota for each boat is very deficient to get profit from the fishery. It provides for very little.”
Therefore, he predicts that “in May or April” there will be boats having exhausted their quotas.
Conversely, Teixeira highlighted Ireland’s fleet, which consists of about 30 ships, and has a quota three times bigger than that of the entire Spanish fleet in the Bay of Biscay.
“In this division there is a gap, really unfair, that requires an urgent reform,” he complained.
In addition, PescaGalicia leader rejected the opinion of Secretary General of Fisheries, Carlos Dominguez, who believes that the Cantabrian trawl fleet should be reduced.
“On the contrary. Our activity is economically and socially viable and also regarding resources,” Teixeira said.
What is needed, he said, is the government defending more the sector and getting a higher quota.
Meanwhile, Jose Antonio Gomez, president of the Provincial Federation of Fishermen said that “those who fish always do precariously because fishery resources are scarce, areas are limited, and economic performance is low,” Diario Atlantico reported.
Related article:
– Mackerel fishery in Bay of Biscay and Northwest region to open
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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