Fishing ban enforced to protect species numbers

OUT TO DRY: Nets at Fuengirola port.

A FISHING ban has been put in place along the Andalucian Mediterranean coastline until the end of the year. The ban is enforced for species such as sardines and anchovies in a bid to preserve the species and has been subsidised by the Junta de Andalucia. 

This means that fishermen will receive aid to cover their losses according to the territorial delegate of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Junta de Andalucia in Malaga, Javier Salas. This aid guarantees a minimum of €100 per working day for the fishing ships and €45 for the crew. However, the agreement only covers a period of 15 days.

Salas admitted: “It means that to stop for the entire month, only half is paid” something that has caused complaint by the fishing industry who are calling for aid throughout the entire period when they are effectively unemployed.

It affects 32 vessels in Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, Malaga and Caleta de Valez. Shipowners complain that the ban has been made in a month when the catches are most important in Malaga. 

According to the president of the Federation of Fishermen of the Province, Miguel Angel Carmona, the goal is to preserve the fishing species. He said 2016 has not been a good year in terms of volume of catches but things were getting better: “Usually December is also a good month for the catches, but because of the ban the catch falls low this year.”

So far this year, catches of the fishing fleet in the province amounted to 7,392,354 kilos, when in 2015 the amount was over 10,000,000.

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Euro Weekly News Media

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments


    • Jacqui

      10 December 2016 • 22:37

      If the sea dies we all die

    Comments are closed.