The Regional Secretary for Natural Resources welcomed today the EU Parliament's approval of a technical measure that allows managing fisheries according to differentiated marine biogeographic regions. The approval took place in the context of the voting on the proposed reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

"This measure endows the Azores with the possibility of reserving an area around the seamounts located outside the 100 miles of the Azores Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for the exclusive access of the regional fishing fleet," revealed Luís Neto Viveiros. The government official spoke to journalists on the sidelines of a meeting of the Regional Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development (CRADS) taking place at the Sea Centre.

The Regional Secretary, who followed the evolution of the debate and the voting in Strasbourg, stressed that this was one of the claims defended by the Regional Government in the document submitted to the European Union.

Luís Neto Viveiros emphasised the work developed by MEPs in the defence of this Azorean aspiration, stressing the approval of the exemption from the imposition of individual transferable quotas.

"In this case, the Azores have safeguarded their position and will be responsible for the management of this issue. Hence, the Region has contributed to the safeguarding of the fundamental rights of traditional coastal fishing," said the Regional Secretary.
 
The creation of the Advisory Council of Outermost Regions was another proposal whose approval is important for the management of the sector as it allows the ORs to issue opinions directly on the policies to be implemented by the European Union for the sector in order to better defend the specificities of Outermost Regions.

The Regional Secretary for Natural Resources also considered the recommendation addressed at the European Union regarding the implement of direct support to scientific research as particularly relevant to the Azores.

"This issue is, in fact, very important as this measure will give us the possibility of deepening our knowledge on the situation of fish stocks as well as on our traditional fishing banks so that we may support the process of decision-making by the Azorean Government," stressed the Regional Secretary.