Jun
5
Mackerel catch. (Photo: Stock File)
High Court admits shipowners’ quota allocation request
SPAIN
Thursday, June 05, 2014, 03:00 (GMT + 9)
The High Court admitted the appeal presented by the Purse Seiner Shipowners’ Association of Galicia (ACERGA) against the distribution of quotas for mackerel and horse mackerel in the North Cantabrian, included in the management plan of both species.
Ship owners of Galicia filed the appeal on 7 May in order to alter the allocation of quotas for these resources in 2015.
The shipowner sector considers that the distribution of fishing opportunities imposed by the government last March is ” unfair” and “harmful” to the fleet, and that the agreement reached “with the Galician purse seiner fleet and also with the Asturian one is discriminatory,” expressed Andres Garcia, ACERGA’s spokesperson.
The association argues that the management plan is based on historical catch data but does not take into account either the characteristics that are typical of each fleet or the socio-economic aspects they have.
In this regard, Garcia argued that “the distribution should be made with a straight-line basis, that is to say, according to the crew of each vessel and the socioeconomic characteristics.”
“The current distribution imposed by the Ministry [of Agriculture, Food and Environment] discriminates against us with respect to the Cantabrian and Basque fleets, which fish much more than we do,” he continued.
Mackerel is one of the most iconic resources to the purse seine sector, and this year it has already captures 75 per cent of the allocated total allowable catch (TAC) , the newspaper Faro de Vigo informed.
ACERGA assesses the admissibility of the appeal, and hopes that the distribution of quotas can be modified for 2015.
“We will continue fighting for a fair allocation of fishing opportunities in the North Cantabrian,” Garcia claimed.
Furthermore, in response to a letter sent by ACERGA in which her intervention was claimed, Commissioner of Fisheries of the European Union (EU), Maria Damanaki, blamed the Spanish executive for the allocation of mackerel fishing opportunities for 2014. However, she pointed out the allocation was performed in compliance with the rules, and said “it does not imply that Spain has not used all the information available,” as it was informed by Nueva España.
Related article:
– Mackerel quota distribution generates further conflict
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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