Ourfish

Month: June 2018

  • Organizações ambientalistas ibéricas do meio marinho reuniram em Lisboa para unir esforços por oceanos saudáveis e pescas sustentáveis

    Lisboa, 11 de junho de 2018

    Hoje, 15 organizações não-governamentais (ONG) de conservação marinha de Portugal e Espanha reuniram pela primeira vez em Lisboa – no veleiro Diosa Maat dos Ecologistas en Accíon e na sede da Liga Para a Protecção da Natureza – para coordenar o seu trabalho em assuntos-chave. O stock ibérico de sardinha, as oportunidades de pesca de espécies de profundidade e a implementação da Política Comum das Pescas (PCP) estiveram entre os principais temas discutidos. Como resultado, será solicitada uma reunião ao Comissário Europeu para o Ambiente, Assuntos Marítimos e Pescas, Karmenu Vella. Muitas outras ações conjuntas estão a ser planeadas, assim como uma plataforma de comunicação partilhada, de forma a aumentar a capacidade conjunta das organizações para lidarem com os desafios que as águas ibéricas enfrentam.

    A Natureza não responde às barreiras feitas pelo homem, muito menos quando se trata do Oceano e da vida marinha. Os pescadores no geral sabem isto, mas talvez nenhuns melhor do que os portugueses e espanhóis, que partilham stocks de pesca desde que há registo. Os dois países estão geograficamente, biologicamente, socialmente, economicamente e politicamente ligados pelas águas do Oceano Atlântico.

    Embora as ONG espanholas e portuguesas tenham colaborado no passado em questões de conservação marinha, foi a grave situação do stock de sardinha ibérica que tornou claro que só será possível ter pescarias sustentáveis e ecossistemas marinhos saudáveis na região se existir uma cooperação próxima e continuada entre as organizações dos dois países. A visita do veleiro Diosa Maat dos Ecologistas en Acción a Lisboa criou a oportunidade perfeita para as organizações dos dois países se reunirem.

    As organizações fizeram uma exigência clara: “Os Ministros de Portugal e o novo de Espanha têm que tomar a liderança na Europa, seguindo os melhores pareceres científicos disponíveis e implementando em pleno a Política Comum das Pescas, assim recuperando e mantendo os stocks em níveis sustentáveis até 2020”.

    Portugal e Espanha têm sido muitas vezes os estados membros menos ambiciosos no que toca a respeitar a ciência e a PCP e, como tal, para além de várias ações centradas nos ministros dos dois países, irá ser pedida nos próximos dias uma reunião ao Comissário Europeu para o Ambiente, Assuntos Marítimos e Pescas para discutir estes assuntos de importância Ibérica e Europeia, em última análise.

    As ONG também concluíram que os dois países têm de ser mais pró-ativos na gestão sustentável e na promoção de pescas de pequena escala e de baixo impacto, assim como na implementação conjunta da rede Natura 2000. Mas os desafios que as águas ibéricas enfrentam vão muito para além das pescas. O lixo marinho, os planos de extração de petróleo e gás natural, a poluição e gestão insustentável dos rios, entre muitos outros assuntos, requerem também ações conjuntas. Assim, um dos principais resultados desta primeira reunião entre ONG de conservação marinha espanholas e portuguesas foi a adoção de uma lista de assuntos que irão acompanhar com comunicações e eventos conjuntos.

     

    Contactos

    Eneko Aierbe (Ecologistas en Acción) | pesca@ecologistasenaccion.org | (+34) 665705002

    Gonçalo Carvalho (Sciaena) | gcarvalho@sciaena.org | (+351) 936257281

    Carla Dâmaso (OMA) | carladamaso@oma.pt

    Celia Ojeda-Martínez (Greenpeace) | cojedama@greenpeace.org (+34) 638101735

    Claudia Correia (APECE) | claudia.sds.correia@gmail.com | (+351) 918465215

    Inês Cardoso (LPN) | ines.cardoso@lpn.pt

    Joana Andrade (SPEA) | joana.andrade@spea.pt

    José Maria Candeias (GEOTA) |zecandeias@gmail.com

    Lydia Chaparro (Fundació ENT) | lchaparro@ent.cat

    Marta Madina (Oceana) |mmadina@ocean.org| (+34) 911 440 884

    Pep Arcos (SEO) | jmarcos@seo.org

    Raul Garcia (WWF-Es) | pesca@wwf.es

    Rebecca Hubbard (Our Fish) | rebecca@our.fish | (+34) 657 669 425

    Rita Sá (ANP|WWF) | rsa@natureza-portugal.org | (+351) 914517337

     

  • Las Organizaciones Ambientales Ibéricas Se Reúnen En Lisboa Para Luchar Por Unos Océanos Saludables Y Una Pesca Sostenible

    Las Organizaciones Ambientales Ibéricas Se Reúnen En Lisboa Para Luchar Por Unos Océanos Saludables Y Una Pesca Sostenible

    Lisboa, 11 de junio de 2018

    Hoy, 15 organizaciones no-gubernamentales (ONG) ambientales de Portugal y España se han reunido en Lisboa – en el velero de Ecologistas en Acción, Diosa Maat y en la sede de Liga para a Protecção da Natureza– por primera vez, para coordinar sus esfuerzos en la protección del medio marino. La pesquería de la sardina ibérica, las oportunidades de pesca de los peces de profundidad y la efectiva implementación de la Política Pesquera Común (PPC) han sido los principales asuntos tratados. Como resultado se va a realizar una solicitud de reunión con el comisario de Medio Ambiente, Asuntos Marítimos y Pesca Karmenu Vella. Otras acciones están siendo planificadas junto con un procedimiento de comunicación común, con el objetivo de afrontar de forma conjunta los retos ambientales a los que se enfrentan las aguas ibéricas.

    La naturaleza no entiende de fronteras humanas y aún menos si hablamos de océanos y la vida marina que los habita. Esto lo saben perfectamente los pescadores españoles y portugueses puesto que han compartido pesquerías desde que existen registros. Ambos países están conectados geográficamente, biológicamente, socialmente, económicamente y políticamente por las aguas ibéricas atlánticas.

    A pesar de que las ONG portuguesas y españolas han colaborado en el pasado en asuntos de conservación marinos, fue la situación crítica de la pesquería de la sardina la que puso de relieve que, en muchas ocasiones, la pesca sostenible y unos ecosistemas marinos saludables en la región solo serán posibles si existe una cooperación estrecha y continua entre las ONG de ambos países. La estancia del velero Diosa Maat de Ecologistas en Acción en Lisboa ha creado la oportunidad para esta reunión de las ONG de ambos países.

    Las organizaciones han realizado una petición clara: “Los ministros de pesca de España y Portugal deben liderar las decisiones europeas de cara al respeto a la mejor información científica disponible e implementando completamente la Política Pesquera Común, para restaurar y mantener unas poblaciones de peces en niveles sostenibles para el 2020”.

    España y Portugal han sido en muchas ocasiones los Estados miembros menos ambiciosos a la hora de respetar las recomendaciones científicas y la PPC y, por ello, además de acciones dirigidas a los ministros de ambos países, se va a solicitar en los próximos días una reunión al comisario de Pesca de la UE con el objetivo de abordar estos asuntos de ámbito ibérico pero que también preocupan en Europa.

    Las ONG están de acuerdo, de igual modo, en que los dos países deben ser más proactivos y trabajar en conjunto en la promoción de la pesca de pequeña escala y de bajo impacto, y en una buena gestión de la red Natura 2000. A pesar de ello, los retos de las aguas ibéricas van más allá de la pesca. La basura marina, los planes para la extracción de gas y petróleo, la contaminación proveniente de los ríos entre otros asuntos, también requieren de acciones conjuntas. En definitiva, como principal resultado, las ONG portuguesas y españolas han acordado una lista de temas a los cuales van a realizar un seguimiento mediante una comunicación continua y actividades conjuntas.

     

    Contactos

    Eneko Aierbe (Ecologistas en Acción) | pesca@ecologistasenaccion.org | (+34) 665705002

    Gonçalo Carvalho (Sciaena) | gcarvalho@sciaena.org | (+351) 936257281

    Carla Dâmaso (OMA) | carladamaso@oma.pt

    Celia Ojeda-Martínez (Greenpeace) | cojedama@greenpeace.org (+34) 638101735

    Claudia Correia (APECE) | claudia.sds.correia@gmail.com | (+351) 918465215

    Inês Cardoso (LPN) | ines.cardoso@lpn.pt

    Joana Andrade (SPEA) | joana.andrade@spea.pt

    José Maria Candeias (GEOTA) |zecandeias@gmail.com

    Lydia Chaparro (Fundació ENT) | lchaparro@ent.cat

    Marta Madina (Oceana) |mmadina@ocean.org| (+34) 911 440 884

    Pep Arcos (SEO) | jmarcos@seo.org

    Raul Garcia (WWF-Es) | pesca@wwf.es

    Rebecca Hubbard (Our Fish) | rebecca@our.fish | (+34) 657 669 425

    Rita Sá (ANP|WWF) | rsa@natureza-portugal.org | (+351) 914517337

    Tereza Fonseca (Quercus) | terezafonseca@quercus.pt |(+351) 967538597

  • Iberian marine environmental organizations meet in Lisbon to join forces for healthy oceans and sustainable fisheries

    Iberian marine environmental organizations meet in Lisbon to join forces for healthy oceans and sustainable fisheries

    Lisbon, June 11th 2018

    Today, 15 marine conservation non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Spain and Portugal met in Lisbon – in Ecologistas en Acción’s sailboat Diosa Maat and on Liga para a Protecção da Natureza’s headquarters – for the first time, to coordinate their work on key marine conservation issues. The Iberian sardine stock, the deep sea fishing opportunities and the full implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) were among the main topics discussed. As a result, a meeting will be requested to European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella. Many other joint actions are being planned, as well as a shared communication platform, in order to increase the joint capacity to deal with the environmental challenges that Iberian waters face.

    Nature does not comply with man-made boundaries, and even less if we are talking about the ocean and marine life that inhabit it. Fishermen in general know this very well, but Portuguese and Spanish fishermen even more, because they share fishing stocks for as long as the records exist. The two countries are geographically, biologically, socially, economically and politically connected by the Atlantic Iberian waters.

    Although Spanish and Portuguese NGOs have collaborated in the past on ocean conservation issues, it was the serious situation with the Iberian sardine stock that made clear that in many occasions, sustainable fisheries and healthy marine ecosystems in the region will only be possible if there is close and continuous cooperation between the NGOs from both countries. The visit of the sailboat Diosa Maat of Ecologistas en Acción to Lisbon created the perfect opportunity for the NGOs of the two countries to meet.

    The organisations made a clear demand: “The Portuguese and Spanish Ministries have to take the lead in Europe by following the best available scientific advice and fully implement the Common Fisheries Policy, restoring and maintaining the fish populations at sustainable levels by 2020 ”.

    Portugal and Spain have often been the less ambitious member states when it comes to respecting science and the CFP, and therefore, apart from several actions focusing on the ministries of the two countries, a meeting request will be sent to the EU Commissioner of the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in the coming days to discuss these issues of Iberian, and ultimately, of European concern.

    The NGOs also agreed that the two countries need to be more pro-active in promoting sustainable management of small scale and encouraging low impact fisheries, as well as working together towards a sound management of Natura 2000 network. But the challenges that the Iberian waters face go far beyond fisheries. Marine litter, plans to extract oil and gas, unsustainable river basins management and pollution, among many others, also require joint actions. Therefore, as a main outcome of this first meeting, the Spanish and Portuguese marine NGOs agreed on a list of common issues they will follow with regular communications and events.

    Contacts

    Eneko Aierbe (Ecologistas en Acción) | pesca@ecologistasenaccion.org | (+34) 665705002

    Gonçalo Carvalho (Sciaena) | gcarvalho@sciaena.org | (+351) 936257281

    Carla Dâmaso (OMA) | carladamaso@oma.pt

    Celia Ojeda-Martínez (Greenpeace) | cojedama@greenpeace.org (+34) 638101735

    Claudia Correia (APECE) | claudia.sds.correia@gmail.com | (+351) 918465215

    Inês Cardoso (LPN) | ines.cardoso@lpn.pt

    Joana Andrade (SPEA) | joana.andrade@spea.pt

    José Maria Candeias (GEOTA) |zecandeias@gmail.com

    Lydia Chaparro (Fundació ENT) | lchaparro@ent.cat

    Marta Madina (Oceana) |mmadina@ocean.org| (+34) 911 440 884

    Pep Arcos (SEO) | jmarcos@seo.org

    Raul Garcia (WWF-Es) | pesca@wwf.es

    Rebecca Hubbard (Our Fish) | rebecca@our.fish | (+34) 657 669 425

    Rita Sá (ANP|WWF) | rsa@natureza-portugal.org | (+351) 914517337

    Tereza Fonseca (Quercus) | terezafonseca@quercus.pt |(+351) 967538597

  • Euractiv: EU opportunity to make fish discarding history

    Euractiv: EU opportunity to make fish discarding history

    This time five years ago, EU politicians were in the midst of negotiations over the reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The reform, following broad engagement from civil society, industry, and politicians, and actively supported by almost 900,000 people across Europe, aimed to end decades of overfishing and discarding of fish at sea, which was clearly undermining the health of our oceans and coastal communities.

    Continue reading on Euractiv: EU opportunity to make fish discarding history

  • Euractiv: EU opportunity to make fish discarding history

    Euractiv: EU opportunity to make fish discarding history

    This time five years ago, EU politicians were in the midst of negotiations over the reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The reform, following broad engagement from civil society, industry, and politicians, and actively supported by almost 900,000 people across Europe, aimed to end decades of overfishing and discarding of fish at sea, which was clearly undermining the health of our oceans and coastal communities.

    Continue reading on Euractiv: EU opportunity to make fish discarding history

  • Self sacrifice or Self Destruction? The EU is still overfishing

    Light painting projection by marine conservation campaign group Our Fish reading “Hey EU! Stop the Overfishing” outside the Brussels Seafood Expo, which opens on April 25.

    According to a recent  EU report monitoring the performance of the Common Fisheries Policy, Europe’s precious fish stocks are still being destroyed for a quick profit, while European citizens are being fed a raw deal by both the big end of the fishing industry and national governments. [1]

    The EU’s Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries has  reported that around 6 out of 10 fisheries in the North East Atlantic managed by European nations are still considered unsustainable and do not meet the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The CFP is the law that defines EU fisheries management and aims to make the fisheries sector environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

    According to the report, the situation in the  Mediterranean Sea – an icon for Europe’s love of the sea and seafood – is actually getting worse, with the highest levels of fishing pressure in the last ten years recorded in 2011 and 2014. Industrial trawlers from Italy, Spain and France  have the biggest impact on fish stocks and ecosystems along the seabed, to the detriment of those who love and rely on mare nostrum, including tens of thousands of low-impact small scale fishers. [2]

    The industrial fishing lobby claims that the recent improvement in fish stocks is due to “decades of self sacrifice”, whilst ignoring the fact that they have opposed the decreases in fishing effort needed to deliver these improvements almost every chance they’ve had.  

    In the last ten years, Europe’s fisheries improved from 90% of fishing being unsustainable to 60% unsustainable [1]. If this so-called “return to greatness” that the industrial fishing lobby has claimed as their own, was  a school report card it would be a C not an A.

    STECF  reports that at the current rate of improvement we will not meet the CFP timetable of sustainable fish stocks and fishing levels by 2020.  So, despite what the industrial fishing lobby says and thanks to their lobby efforts to set fishing limits above sustainable levels, everything is not peaches. This is a warning signal that we need stronger action from European countries if we are to secure healthy fish stocks, good seafood, and a sustainable fishing industry.

    Europe is the largest trader of seafood and fisheries products in the world [3] . The Global Seafood Expo is attracting thousands of seafood traders to Brussels this week, but the question remains – why are European nations still plundering our fish at a rate we cannot afford to maintain, and to whose gain?

    Rebecca Hubbard is Campaign Manager for Our Fish

     

    Notes:

    [1] Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) – Monitoring the performance of the Common Fisheries Policy (STECF-17-04). 2017.

    [2] Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) – Western Mediterranean Multi-annual Plan STECF-15-09. 2015.

    [3] EUMOFA, 2016, The EU Fish Market 2016 Edition