Minister Calls for Sustainable Fisheries Management in the Canary Islands

This was raised in his speech at the opening of the Technical Fisheries Forum held in Gran Canaria.

Mr Dominguez highlighted the importance of the working groups, approved for the management of fisheries in the Gulf of Cadiz, Mediterranean, Northwestern Cantabrian and Islands, with the participation of different autonomous and fishing sectors involved.

The Secretary General praised the working groups and also highlighted other measures such as the implementation of closures and the distribution of quotas to individual new modalities, in particular for the Canaries, for better management and access to resources.

On these management plans for fishing in the canaires, Carlos Dominguez highlighted the need to prevent overfishing of marine resources of the islands and ensure the survival of professional and recreational fisheries.

It was also pointed out that the work must fit into the new Common Fisheries Policy which is now being debated in Europe, with key points for the future of sector activity, as the maximum sustainable yield to be achieved in 2015, where possible, and if not 2020, and a ban on discards.

Another important aspect for the future of fishing that the Secretary General stressed in his speech, was being obliged to protect resources within the environmental objectives of the Spanish marine strategies. Mr Dominguez has indicated that it is the main planning tool aimed at the achievement of good environmental status of the marine environment.

"Fisheries management should therefore make its articulation to respect the marine strategy to the benefit of the fishermen and activity, since without some seas and resources in good condition, it is not possible a profitable" added the Secretary General.