Food and Fisheries minister Carlos Dominguez said the move negates an ‘absurd decision’ taken back in 2006 which saw Bluefin Tuna protected by a seasonal closed period.
This ran between June and August, after Bluefin tuna had relocated to the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay and was to comply with the Commission for the Conservation for Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
But, Mr Dominguez explained the measure was misguided and severely limited catch, only allowing ‘chance catch’ – about 5 per cent of boat hauls.
Species quota was limited to 29 tons until 2008 until 2013 when it was doubled to 58 tons.
The agreement was made between the Ministry of Food and Fisheries, industry organisations and the Provincial Federation of Fishermen of the canary region and overseen by the Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament.
