Source: El Pais
The Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) is negotiating with other EU countries to surrender part of its 2011 bluefin tuna quota to ensure that Spanish trap net fishermen can catch more than the assigned tonnage.
The bluefin tuna species is endangered and its catches are being reduced due to a recovery plan. Last year, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), cut fishing quotas for this species by 4 percent for 2011.
ICCAT has set a maximum of 12,900 tons this year for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Of this amount, Spain controls 2,410 tons, around 110 tons less than the previous year.
The Cadiz trap net fishery (almadrabas) is calling for an increase of their 2011 quota. Of the Spanish quota, the almadraba fleet was allocated 630 tons, 37 tons less than in 2010. But the fleet argues that it can not survive with a quota lower than 1,100 tons. The fishermen have expressed their concerns over how this limitation could affect their annual Eur 7.3 million turnover.
The fishermen are asking the Ministry to take measures to ensure the continuation of this sustainable fishing method, which more than 400 people depend on for direct jobs, without affecting the survival of the species.
The government intends to present a solution to this situation.
The Ministry ruled out the almadraba fishery’s proposal to readjust the internal distribution of the 2,410 tons of the Spanish bluefin tuna quota, to avoid favoritism towards other fishery and conflicts with other communities, such as Cataluna.
The MARM’s solution, therefore, is to try to negotiate with other EU member states to cede part of its quota to Spain. This is known as “working capital†and has been successfully done in previous years. Last year, Portugal agreed to surrender 80 tons of the quota assigned to its only almadraba fleet in favor of Spain.
According to Aguilar, the MARM is currently in negotiations with Portugal and France. However, these exchanges are becoming more difficult, because all states suffered the same cuts in their quotas.
Another option that the MARM is looking into is to swap shares with other Spanish fleets, such as with Andalusia and other regions, which also successfully took place last year. In 2010, the four almadrabas were allocated 667,47 tons, but managed to obtain a quota of 889,45 tons instead; this from working capital of the Ministry and acquiring the rights of other fleets.
Among the “sellers of quotas†are the artisanal fleet in the Strait of Gibraltar and the longline fleet.