The ministers responsible for fisheries concluded the agreement on the 2024 quotas this Tuesday. The Minister of Agriculture and Food, Maria do Céu Antunes, points to an “increase” in quotas for certain species in particular, amounting to a commercial increase estimated at “23 million euros” for the Portuguese fleet.
Portugal guarantees a further increase in fishing opportunities for species such as monkfish, hake, megrim, black scabbardfish and horse mackerel. Fishing opportunities for cod and whiting have also increased in waters managed by regional fisheries organizations or established in consultation with third countries.
The minister classified the balance of the agreement for the Portuguese fishing fleet as “globally positive”, “with significant increases”, representing “an increase of 23 million euros in commercial value”.
For hake, the quota increased by 12%, from 4,645 tons in 2023 to 5,096 tons in 2024. The quota for monkfish increased by 7%, from 689 tons to 739 tons. For megrim, the quota increased by 11%, from 96 tons to 107 tons.
Black scabbardfish increased by 9%, with the quota increasing from 2,106 tonnes to 2,300 tonnes. The share of horse mackerel increased by 5%, from 117,126 tonnes in 2023 to 123,295 tonnes in 2024.
During meetings with regional fisheries organizations, Portugal secured a “92% increase in cod quotas in the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone and a 25% increase in albacore tuna quotas, which are “critical” for the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira. emphasized Maria do Céu Antunes, also emphasizing that the negotiations with Norway also resulted in a 9% increase in the cod quota for 2024.
“Despite the inflexibility of the Commission, which maintained the initial proposal of a 20% reduction for crayfish, it was possible to soften the Commission’s proposal for a reduction from 33% for sole to 17%, values that would reduce the discharges of the crayfish possible. The Portuguese fleet will be accommodated for both species,” said the note from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
“For Raia Curva, in addition to maintaining the 15 tonnes quota for Portugal, an additional scientific quota of 50 tonnes was secured,” the minister said.
Portugal presented a proposal “to extend compensation for the higher production costs due to the current geopolitical instability”.
Maria do Céu Antunes stressed that “the proposal was well received by the majority of Member States”, who are now waiting for the European Commission’s response.
Source: DN
