SPAIN
Andrés Hermida Trastoy, Director General of Fisheries Management, Spain
Profitability of fleet increases The Spanish fisheries sector is one of the biggest in the EU by most measures. Almost a fifth of total EU production volumes (capture and aquaculture) can be attributed to Spain, and the country accounts for a quarter of EU employment in the fishing sector. Gross tonnage of the Spanish fishing fleet is the highest in the EU amounting to 22% and twice that of the country with the next highest gross tonnage (the UK, with 11.5%). In the processing sector, the value of Spanish output is the third highest in the EU (after the UK and France), while in terms of employment it comes in at number two (after the UK). The fisheries sector makes a very important contribution in terms of employment and economic activity in several Spanish coastal regions. The reformed CFP came into force on 1 January 2014. What impact do you foresee it will have on the Spanish fisheries and aquaculture sector? Which aspects of the new policy do you welcome and which are you less enthusiastic about and why? I would like to start by pointing out that the CFP reform was needed, however it has not been very ambitious. Nevertheless, Spain is quite satisfied with the final result of the reform, especially taking into account the initial proposal from the European Commission. In this sense the Spanish administration has worked very hard together with the EU institutions and the sector to make the initial approach of the EC, as stated in the green paper on the CFP, more rational. Spain supports the principle that science should be the basis of the decision-making process in fisheries management, as well as agrees to establish the MSY for all stocks by 2020 at the latest (the initial proposal of 2015 was not realistic at all). For this aim, regionalisation is an important element, but it would be desirable to do it fishery by fishery. Regarding the small scale fisheries, we cannot agree on the 12 meters length limitation for coastal fishing vessels as the key element to define it, since it does not match the reality of the Spanish fleet at all. 40
Eurofish Magazine 4 / 2014
Andrés Hermida Trastoy, Director General of Fisheries Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
The external dimension has been one of the elements of the new CFP with better acceptance, both by governments and stakeholders. It is based on two main principles; on the one hand, to apply the highest standards of sustainability in fisheries management and on the other hand, to ensure a level playing field for all the fleets. The latter links directly with improvements to the fisheries control system to ensure better compliance. In this sense Spain is making significant, even pioneering, efforts. For example, it is taking measures against nationals involved in IUU operations even if they do it under a non EU flag; it is also seeking the validation of fishing licenses through
the Spanish and EU diplomatic network to ensure that the Spanish fleet operates legally, sustainably and in a transparent manner within the EEZ of a third country. In relation to the obligation to retain the full catch on board, i.e. the discard ban policy, I would like to repeat what I said to this magazine two years ago; Spain fully supports, as a principle, this measure, but it is regrettable that the Commission has not better prepared this proposal, which we are now faced with implementing, but there is no impact assessment nor plans to do so, which is far from being the ideal situation.
Finally, I believe that the EU has missed a good opportunity to establish an ITQ system that would have allowed a more effective and profitable fisheries management in European waters. Perhaps this is because some Member States are not comfortable with a possible break with the principle of relative stability. How does the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) fit in this scenario? Is there any remarkable new element for the Spanish sector? The new EMFF is the economic tool intended to achieve the objectives of www.eurofishmagazine.com