A trap. (Photo: Stock File)
Unanimously, the Assembly of the Republic (AR) agreed to consider it a priority to negotiate, together with the European Union (EU), more licenses for the installation of tuna traps (almadrabas) in Portuguese waters.
The draft resolution recommends the Executive to devise "a set of measures on consolidating more resources for Portugal in terms of bluefin tuna catch and fattening, as well as national quotas."
At present, there are three tuna traps installed in national territory, all located in the region of Algarve. Two of them are operated by the company Real Atunara and the other by the firm Tunipex, in Olhão.
The draft also urges the Government to ensure "the possibilities of associating farming and fattening units to the registered tuna traps without impairing the feeding process of the specimens existing there," stated Deputy Miguel Freitas, representative of the Algarve.
"We took the initiative to introduce the draft resolution, understanding that it represents a contribution to the negotiation process with the European institutions and theInternational Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)", to be held in December, added the legislator.
For his part, Real Atunara Director, Miguel Socorro, travelled to Brussels last week to present arguments in favour of this proposal together with the EU.
If the issue of the licenses is a priority for Portugal, to the deputy it will be as or more important to gain recognition of the farming mode in the country.
As Portugal is not recognized at EU level as a producer, but only as a country that catches tuna, Portuguese companies are limited to sell the fish they catch, but they could earn more if they were allowed to fatten these fish, Sul Informacao reported.
Freitas stressed that in 2014 "they released 1200 fish", which is a competitive disadvantage relative to other European countries that are engaged in tuna production and are allowed to fatten them.
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