The changes were made possible through a ministerial order which incorporated the new approved changes made at the last meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (ICCAT), held in November 2013 in Cape Town, where it was agreed to modify the periods closed in the Atlantic.
This opening enables the Canary fleet to fish for this species, which was excluded in 2008 due to the closure periods coinciding with the usual fishing season for bluefin tuna in Canarian waters.
With the new international standards, the contracting parties are allowed to communicate specific periods of closure for the Bluefin tuna in the Atlantic.
Due to the procedural requirements of ICCAT, this year's campaign will begin in the Canary Islands on 24 March, benefiting 181 ships from Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
This adaptation of the legislation does not alter the current allocation of quotas or harm to other fleet segments. In addition, the new situation of the bluefin tuna fishery will be supplemented by tighter control measures to avoid overfishing the quota allocated.
