Fifteen non-governmental organisations (NGOs) called on Monday, 8 April for strong measures to ensure recovery of sardine stocks in the waters of the Iberian Peninsula.
Following a workshop organised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) in Lisbon to evaluate the recovery and management plan for Iberian sardines, 15 Portuguese and Spanish NGOs promoting sustainable fisheries criticised the measures submitted to the European Commission by the Portuguese and Spanish governments.
“This plan does not recognise the critical situation in which the stock is and does not provide the measures that can ensure its unquestionable recovery”, these organisations explain.
They point out that the Iberian sardine stock, "which is of great socioeconomic importance for several Portuguese and Spanish fleets", has been in sharp decline for some decades ago and below the biological safety limits since 2009.
After ICES issued an advice of zero-catch for the last two year, both Member States submitted a recovery plan which, so far, has been considered insufficient by ICES. Portuguese and Spanish NGOs criticise this plan for the reduced relevance of control of catches for several years and the protection of juveniles. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)