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Minister for Sardines says 15-year fishing ban "is unthinkable"

sardinesPortugal’s Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino, said today that the proposed 15-year sardine fishing ban, as proposed by the European Commission’s scientific advisors, is "unthinkable."

Vitorino, was speaking to the press during her protocol signing visit to Portimão, (here) stating that Portugal’s sardine catch for next year will be set this October after the species is monitored during August “with three scientific expeditions by staff from the Portuguese Institute Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) to assess the state of the stock."

"Decisions will be taken in October, as planned and according to the data that exist at that time," said Vitorino, stressing that the definition and assessment of sardine stocks for Portugal is a matter “for the European Commission but not fixed by the European Commission."

The minister said that "fishing stocks and quotas are a matter between Portugal and Spain, because this is a jointly managed sector," and quotas will be set "according to the assessments of fish stocks and in intense dialogue with the sector.”

"As we did last year, we are working with fishermen this year because this is management using scientific data, with real time data, because the fishermen themselves can give very important data on the state of fish stocks. They are extremely knowledgeable: when stocks are good, they say they’re good and when they're bad, they say so," she explained.

Vitorino said that the ministry will "continue to work with them," but stressed that "fixing the quotas can only be done in October."

"But we will never stop fishing, let alone for a period of 15 years, that would be unthinkable," she said despite recognising that climate change and the warming of the oceans is a problem for sardines and other species.

"In fact climate change has caused changes in the migratory flows of several species and those that were mostly off the southern countries are now also appearing in the northern countries, looking for water with the colder temperatures that used to exist along our coast," said the minister.

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Comments  

-2 #8 Randy McTavish 2017-07-30 03:23
If only we could fish sustainably. Where have all the Tuna gone? By-catch/Kill wouldn't be allowed if it were done on land, let's say we used a net to catch all the sheep and it catches all the birds, rodents, insects in it's path too, how long would we put up with that?
0 #7 Mr John 2017-07-28 18:20
Something smells fishy to me,,,
Ban, Portugal and Spain from sardine fishing, now lets buy the sardines from maybe Korea, Japan, Russia, how stupid this is, someone will make a lot of money from this.
+2 #6 C Saunders 2017-07-28 15:03
It seems a bit like the outcry in the UK about being limited on catches (especially cod) when one can see many other fishing boats taking the catch, like Korea and Russia. Maybe there is a problem with the sardine catch but 15 years will destroy many livelihoods
+3 #5 Sandra bernstein 2017-07-27 14:22
http://albertaviews.ca/facts-dont-matter/
Here is a great article showing how politicians undermine science-based policy including the collapse of the newfoundland cod fishery. It is about Canada but could be applied more broadly.
+4 #4 Steven Thompson 2017-07-27 11:50
Many management schools teach intra and inter business decision making using EU over fishing examples - just as Liveaboard describes.

But it is absurd to leave such important decisions to peripheral still evolving EU countries Government funded research units. Next we will hear of Malta telling us in the UK that their own Government funded research makes clear that indiscriminate killing of over flying raptors actually helps Northern Europe bird surveys. That it makes them finish quicker.
+3 #3 Peter Booker 2017-07-27 09:30
Yes, Ed, and most of October, when the decision will be taken, will be after the local elections have taken place.
+1 #2 Ed 2017-07-26 23:35
Quoting liveaboard:
Excellent idea, let the fishermen decide; they must know best.
So we have 10 fish left; how many should be caught?
Fisherman; "Well, 8 would be reasonable, leave 2 for breeding"
We now have 2 fish, how many should be caught?
"Well" says the fisherman, "I'm not greedy, I'll just take one."
We have one fish left, what should we do?
"Well, I have to feed my family. Sorry about the fish extinction, it's a real tragedy."


This is local election season, after all...
Ed
+4 #1 liveaboard 2017-07-26 23:16
Excellent idea, let the fishermen decide; they must know best.
So we have 10 fish left; how many should be caught?
Fisherman; "Well, 8 would be reasonable, leave 2 for breeding"
We now have 2 fish, how many should be caught?
"Well" says the fisherman, "I'm not greedy, I'll just take one."
We have one fish left, what should we do?
"Well, I have to feed my family. Sorry about the fish extinction, it's a real tragedy."

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