Focus on Spain Investment Immigration and Spain's Economy: The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment of Spain, Miguel Arias Cañete, stated that the European Commission's proposal to increase the cod quota in the northern waters of Spain is "unprecedented in the history of Spanish community waters."
Minister Miguel stated that this proposal is the result of strict scientific management of the cod resources in the northern waters of Spain since January 2012, which has maintained good results under the quota system.
He said: "The proposed total allowable catch (TAC) for northern cod by the EU has increased from 55,105 tons in 2011 to the currently proposed 81,846 tons, which is the only explanation for the successful marine resource management measures implemented in previous years."
Cañete emphasized that the recovery plan for the northern cod fishery has led to a change in the resource from reaching the safe biological limit in 2005 to now achieving a record high biological quantity.
He stated that considering the recommendations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the latest North Sea fisheries report from June 2013, he requested the EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki to "increase the total allowable catch for northern cod to 14,000 tons."
The goal pursued by Spain and other EU countries is for the European Community to join the cod quota system and to comply with the quota system established by the EU in 2013. Finally, EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki responded positively to the proposal put forward by the European Commission.