Minister Rosa Quintana with representatives of CIG-Mar at a meeting to analyze the agreement situation. (Photo: Xunta)

Galicia reaffirms fisheries pact with Mauritania rejection

SPAIN
Tuesday, August 21, 2012, 23:00 (GMT + 9)

The head of the Ministry of Rural and Marine Affairs of Xunta de Galicia, Rosa Quintana, received representatives of CIG-Mar to analyze the situation of the cephalopod fleet affected by the preliminary agreement signed between the European Union (EU) and Mauritania and to seek a solution.

The official recalled that Mauritania was one of the first destinations of the current Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Magrama), Miguel Arias Cañete, shortly after taking office so as to "study the situation of this agreement."

There, the minister noted "that it was undergoing the fifth round of negotiations and it had the approval" of the Government, Quintana added.

The Minister stressed that the bilateral agreement "is very expensive and does not benefit the Galician fleet or the rest of the European fleets."

Therefore, she pledged to work to paralyze it in the EU Council of Fisheries Ministers or in the European Parliament (EP), where it must receive the final approval.

Quintana stated that Arias Cañete "will continue talking with the Ministry to find a temporary solution," reported Xunta de Galicia in a press release.

One possible solution would be the request of a call for aid "so as to remedy the situation the sailors are in," added Quintana.

In addition, she expressed concern that "even though almost none of the ships have a base in a Galician port, most of the affected sailors are Galician."

The new agreement excludes 24 Spanish cephalopod vessels, belonging to Galician companies, which since 31 July have stopped fishing in Mauritanian fishing grounds.

Following the entry into force of the fishing pact, vessels from Poland, Lithuania and the Netherlands relinquished the fishing licenses because the cost is "unaffordable," said Javier Garat, secretary general of the Spanish Fisheries Confederation (Cepesca), the newspaper Faro de Vigo reported.

Related article:

- Three EU fleets not to use fishing permits in Mauritania

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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