The General Court of the European Union (TGU) recently dismissed several resources filed by Spain and by Galician and Asturian fishermen against the designation by the European Commission of areas that must be subject to protection In Spain, considering that There are, or there is likely, vulnerable marine ecosystems.
The sentence explains that the area rating in which the existence of vulnerable marine ecosystems or in which they are likely to exist It is based on the verified or possible presence of protected species and the characteristics of the ecosystem itself, which need measures of protection.
The court understands that these measures are those that guarantee the protection of marine areas against the significant adverse effects of the arts in general, referring to various types of Fishing forms that are harmful, especially for marine soils.
Protection is crucial to preserve marine areas
Ecologist organizations highlighted the importance of the ruling of the General Court of the European Union (TGU) that dismissed several resources filed by Spain and by Asturian and Galician fishermen against the Appointment by the European Commission of Marine Areas that must be protection. According to the TGU, it is necessary to consider that there are, or there is likely, there are vulnerable marine ecosystems in the fishing areas to which the resources of Spain and the fishermen refer.
The political advisor of Oceana, Michael Sealey, has indicated that “they celebrate that Europe remains firm and that the court has ruled in favor of these closures, since it is demonstrated that they have been based on science for the ruling, a measure that is well justified and have followed the correct methodology.”
According to Sealey, these closures «They protect both habitats and vulnerable species, which are also necessary for fishingthat is, you have to protect these specific funds to provide sufficient resources to fish to be productive ». He explained that “these closures, which are polygons in the North Atlantic, and correspond to a regulation that aims to protect the deep waters of this area of the ocean.”
He maintains that Spain resorted to these closures because it considers that, among others, «the flap does not affect him and that these closures were made biased and without taking into account some socioeconomic factors. After the position of Spain and some fishing associations, the closures have been completely stopped, ”he says.
Marta Martín Borregón, responsible for oceans and fishing by Greenpeace Spain, explained that from this NGO they are glad that «The European Commission is given to the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystemsin which there may be protected species ».
Martín Borregón alert about The decrease in marine resources, “which will affect fishing and fishermen”. Therefore, he maintains, it is necessary to “safeguard the future of the fishing sector, promoting those fishing arts that are respectful of the environment so that fish populations can be recovered, ensuring that the impact on marine ecosystems is as the least possible and ensuring their protection”.
Remember that from the organization they have developed “a sustainable food model” in which they show that if industrial fishing arts are eliminatedamong which the drag by being of the most harmful, and part of them are replaced by sustainable fishing arts “the captures in the National Caladero could be increased by 55% with respect to the current situation.”
It also suggests, by progressively eliminating the high industrial fleet of high power in the proposed model, «CO2 emissions would be reduced by 94 % by 2050. It is evident, he says, that protection measures are more than necessary, but cannot be set aside to the sector ».
“Which It is that the European Commission takes into account the social part when making these decisionssince it would have to be relocated to the fleet in fishing arts respectful of the environment so that they can continue devoting themselves to fishing, ”he concludes.
The political and policy advisor of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, Matthew Gianni, has affirmed in a statement that this sentence «Send a clear sign that the deep water fishing regulations not only meet its purposebut must be implemented and fully executed. ”
He has urged the European Commission and the Member States to “proceed without further delay with the new set of Vedas recommended by the International Council for Sea Exploration (CIEM).” For its part, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Spanish Food, Luis Planas said that Spain studies the procedure to respond to the judgment of the TGUE. EFE / ECOticias.com