Portugal's fishing quota for 2017 will increase by 11 percent, rising to 121 tonnes.
The lengthy negotiation between the European Union Fisheries ministers to set national quotas ended this morning with what the Government and sector entities consider good news, despite a reduction in the amount of hake that can be caught by national fishermen.
As compensation, Portugal saw an increase in the quotas for the capture of horse mackerel (7%) and bluefin tuna (20%). In the latter case, the fishing capacity grows to 399 tons, with direct impacts on the Algarve, where the three tuna traps existing in the national territory are installed.
There is also an increase in fishing quotas for species with high commercial value, such as anglerfish (up 54%), anchovy (18%), rays (10%) and crayfish (5%). The negotiation also resulted in an increase in the cod quota, to be fished in Norway, of 16%. In the opposite direction, the hake quota was reduced, but much less than what had been foreseen. There was a first proposal to reduce the capture capacity of this species by about 36 percent, but the reduction was only 5%.
The increases in the global quota and in most species lead the association of producers Olhãopesca and the Union of Fisheries Workers of the South (STPS) to consider the news as positive and likely to boost the sector.
“All the increases are noteworthy, as they will have positive effects not only for the Algarve shipowners, but for the entire country. This is the way. Until now, there were always reductions, despite the great effort we make to ensure the sustainability of resources. Now, there is an improvement», illustrated the president of Olhãopescas Miguel Cardoso, speaking to the Sul Informação.
“In fact, this year the Portuguese administration has shown great negotiating skills. It's the biggest increase in recent years [in percentage terms],” he said.
From the side of those who negotiated, in this case the Minister of Maritime Ana Paula Vitorino, comes the assurance that this is "the best result ever" of a negotiation with the EU, for Portugal. All without jeopardizing the sustainability of the resources, since, according to the member of the Government, the increases were based on scientific grounds, considering the economic, social and environmental dimensions.
The social issue is one of the flags of the STPS and this growth in fishing capacity goes towards «improving the socio-economic conditions of fishermen», in the view of Josué Marques, union leader. “We cannot fail to appreciate this increase in quotas. It's good for the fishing industry and the canning industry. Furthermore, there are significant increases in species of high commercial value», he considered.
Josué Marques also highlighted, in statements to the Sul Informação, the increase of the sardine fishing quota “to 17 thousand tons, as well as the possibility of fishing between October and November”.
The reduction of the hake catch quota is seen as bad news, both by Miguel Cardoso and by Josué Marques, given «the importance of this species». «Everything that goes in the direction of reduction is not good. But we are working, together with the administration, in order to see the quota increase in the future», summarized the president of Olhãopescas.
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