The Spanish fishing sector has warned the EU on the consequences of cancelling the fisheries agreement with Morocco. Photo: CEPESCA
Spanish Fishing Sector Warns Cancelling Morocco Agreement Will Complicate Sustainable Management of Key Species Like Sardine, Hake, or Tuna
The Spanish fishing sector, represented by the Spanish Confederation of Fishing (CEPESCA), has stated that it will respect any decision made by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) regarding the fishing agreement between the European Union and Morocco.
However, it warns that the definitive annulment of this agreement would have a significant impact on the EU fleet and therefore on the Spanish fleet as well, hindering the effective management of fishing activities in accordance with EU sustainability standards in that specific part of West African waters. The fishing sector is responding to the proposal by the EU Advocate General to the ECJ to annul the fishing agreement with Morocco.
The sector highlights that fishing activity under the EU-Morocco agreements has been crucial for the sustainable and science-based use of species such as anchovy, sardine, horse mackerel, hake, cephalopods, or tuna. These fisheries have been essential in providing millions of meals each day to Spain, the EU, Africa, and other regions, especially where there is a high demand for healthy and affordable food.
While the end of the fishing agreement between the EU and Morocco may not affect a large number of vessels in the Spanish fleet, as in the last protocol only around twenty licenses out of a possible ninety-two were used, it will pose a significant problem for fleets with few alternatives, such as the Spanish purse seine or bottom longline fleet, mainly based in the Andalusian ports of Barbate, Conil, or Tarifa. As stated by Javier Garat, Secretary-General of Cepesca, “the possible definitive annulment would mean another significant blow amid already complicated circumstances for the companies and sailors of the Andalusian, Galician, Basque, and Canary fleets that have fished in those waters, in addition to being a new restriction on the fishing activity of our fleet, which has been subjected to numerous closures in recent months.”
Finally, the sector emphasises that its main priority is to continue providing healthy and affordable fish in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Source: Press Release