Portugal gives way prohibits fishing and trawling
NoteBy Ramon »Wed , June 4, 2014 5:36 pm
PORTUGAL DA EL PASO AND DRAG FISHING PROHIBITED IN MORE THAN 2 MILLION KM2
06/04/2014 - "Portugal has taken a significant to ensure that its fleet makes a charge of exploitation ecosystems bottom step.
<image017.jpg> The area closed to destructive fishing in deep water quadruples the size of the Iberian Peninsula. Oceana calls for the ban to be extended to other fisheries of Portugal and the rest of the EU.
The Portuguese government has banned by decree all gears except the bottom - longline authorized under certain conditions , in an area of 2,280,000 km2 , in order to promote sustainable fisheries and conservation of deep sea ecosystems . Oceana applauds this new legislation , including trawling , and asks to be extended to the entire fishing fleet of the European Union and internationally .
"Portugal has taken significant measures to ensure that its fleet makes a charge of exploitation ecosystems bottom step. We hope that this measure, which affects an area covering nearly 4 times the size of the Iberian Peninsula, it has been supported by other countries with commercial interest in this area , "said Xavier Pastor , Executive Director of Oceana in Europe. " It is also necessary that Portugal banning bottom trawling and other destructive gear in waters where it 's used, and undertake other marine conservation measures ."
Moreover, this decree also aims to contribute to the recording of information on vulnerable marine ecosystems ( VME ) because it establishes mandatory collection of a sample of corals and sponges, Accidental capture. These ecosystems have been identified as reservoirs of unique and fragile biodiversity , key to the shelter, breeding and feeding of many other organisms. Although some reach over a hundred years , its growth is extremely slow , making it very sensitive to the impacts of fishing , particularly trawling them .
" The initiative will protect valuable EMV Portugal Northeast Atlantic , as those formed by coral reefs and sponge aggregations " says Ricardo Aguilar, research director of Oceana in Europe. " It will increase the information available about them, which is currently very limited and difficult to manage effectively ."
The decree approved will be presented at the next meeting of the OSPAR Commission , which will take place during the last week of June in Cascais ( Portugal). Oceana will attend this meeting as an observer and as part of the monitoring process management recommendations drafted by the organization vulnerable to this convention , such as " seamounts ", " maerl beds " seagrass Cymodocea nodosa and ecosystems . Ecoticias