Vitoria (EFE).- The Basque Government is preparing a plan for eel fishing in the Basque Country with a series of controls on the catches and commercialization of this species aimed at a kind of professionalization of the sector that adjusts to the requirements of the European Union.
The EU decided at the end of last year to prohibit sport fishing for eels and limit professional fishing to the months of November, December and January. This measure affects those months of 2023 and 2024, in order to recover this endangered species.
In Euskadi there are no professional licenses for eel breeding fishing but only for recreational or sport capture. For this reason, these catches could not be made in this community in the next season if the situation remains as it has been up to now.
Against this background, yesterday, Wednesday, the Basque Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment held a meeting with the Euskadi angler association to seek alternatives to continue this tradition.
eel fishing plan
Sources from this Department have explained to EFE that several formulas were put on the table, which are still in a “very early” phase. These formulas would make it possible to move from the current recreational licenses to a semi-professionalization of the fishermen dedicated to this activity.
This would involve the creation of a specific “heading” in the Special Scheme for Self-Employed to register these anglers and thus comply with the requirements set by the EU. This formula is still under study, the sources have clarified.
In addition, the Azti public center, specialized in the marine environment, would be in charge of controlling catches and quotas and would determine the number of licences.
This planning to advance towards the professionalization of anglers was also explained this Thursday by the PNV parliamentarian Mikel Arruabarrena in plenary session of the Basque Parliament. He has ensured that Azti would determine the amounts to be captured and would carry out very exhaustive monitoring of the eel population.
In addition, it has continued, the commercialization of the eel would take place “mandatorily” through the guilds of fishermen or establishments authorized by the Directorate of Fisheries of the Basque Government.
Arruabarrena has specified that two possibilities are being studied for the professionalization of fishermen, either that specific heading for registration in the Special Scheme for self-employed workers or the creation of a census of these workers at the Social Institute of the Navy.
anglers association
In the absence of these proposals going ahead, representatives of the Basque angler association who have been present at the plenary have explained to the media that, in principle, they share these formulas so that they can continue with this activity in a controlled manner.
They have qualified that for the moment there is no agreement and that the talks with the Basque Government will continue.
In the parliamentary debate, promoted by PP+Cs and Vox, their respective initiatives have been rejected. The amendments that EH Bildu and Elkarrekin Podemos-IU had presented have also been knocked down.
PP+Cs asked the Basque Government to initiate the necessary legislative process to regulate professional fishing in the Basque Country and Vox to design a professionalization plan for this activity.
EH Bildu proposed in his amendment a transition plan from sport fishing to professional fishing and monitoring and control of this species in the basins. Elkarrekin Podemos-IU called for a temporary ban on captures until the population recovers.
Last season in Euskadi the Basque Government granted 700 licenses for angler sport fishing, 666 for surface fishing and 34 by boat distributed in the Guipuzcoan basins of Oria, Deba, and Urola and in the Vizcaínes of Plentzia-Gorliz, Las Sands- The Rock, Abra-The Sands, Artibai, Lea, Oka and Bakio.
These licenses entail the prohibition of capturing more than 2 kilograms of eels per license per day and the catches must be used only for personal consumption, without being able to sell them. EFE
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