The minister has chaired the Fisheries Policy Advisory Council, at the headquarters of the Ministry, in which, with the regional councilors of the branch, the issues to be dealt with in the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the European Union next Monday , in Brussels. The next EU Council is, "one of the most important events of the year", because the 2020 quotas for Atlantic fisheries will be negotiated.

Planas recalled that 2020 is the deadline set in the Common Fisheries Policy (PPC) to achieve Maximum Sustainable Performance (RMS), an objective with which Spain is firmly committed. He stressed that it is necessary to rely on the best available scientific information and insisted that it is also necessary to assess its socioeconomic impact.

In this regard, he pointed out that the fleets have made an important adaptation effort, which has resulted in the general improvement of the state of fisheries in the Atlantic.

Regarding Spain's priorities for key fisheries for the national fleet, the minister that he has assured does not share the proposed cut proposed by the Commission has stressed that he will consider adjusting the TACs to levels more in line with the improvement of the fisheries and with the viability of the fleet.

In southern hake, the EC proposes a 20% decrease compared to the 2019 TAC. Planas has emphasized that Spain will propose a lighter reduction, following scientific opinions that ensure that sustainable exploitation of the fishery resource is possible with a more moderate cut .

In the case of the Cantabrian horse mackerel, Spain cannot support a 42% reduction. The minister has referred to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) offers alternatives with minor decreases, always respecting the RMS, and with similar effects for the biomass of the species.

Spain, the minister stressed, rejects the Commission proposal that proposes a 50% reduction in the share of horse mackerel in the south (Gulf of Cádiz, Portugal and Galicia) and has requested the "urgent revision" of the proposal,

Planas has pointed out that Spain also proposes a new scientific review of the "functional unit 25" crayfish in light of the positive results of the latest scientific campaign of the Spanish Oceanography InstituteIEO).

On the other hand, Planas has also made reference that next year will be the second full application of the landing obligation. He pointed out that it is necessary to continue the work started last year to achieve practical solutions to the problem of strangulation species.

Fishing Sector Conference

The Minister and the representatives of the Autonomous Communities have held a Sectorial Fisheries Conference in which an aid of 200,000 euros has been approved to support the artisanal fleet of the Mar Menor, which has been affected by isolated depression at high levels ( DANA) from the beginning of October and that generated the massive death of fish.

The minister explained that, since the fleet – small-scale artisanal fishing vessels – has a high economic dependence on the area's resource, it will actively collaborate with the Region of Murcia to try to compensate the losses of fishermen in the Mar Menor.

The regulation of internal organization and operation of the Fisheries Sector Conference has also been agreed to achieve closer collaboration between the different public administrations.



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