The Regional Secretariat for the Sea, Science and Technology, after hearing all partners of the sector, has decided to change the legal document regulating the use of fish traps in the Azores.
The ordinance, now published in the Official Journal, stipulates that fishing with traps may be carried out by using only three types of traps: cage traps for mullet and octopus, cage traps for shrimp and cage traps for crustaceans. The type of mesh and size of traps remains unaltered.
With the purpose of regulating the use of fish traps and reduce their impact on other economic activities taking place at sea, the new rules forbid the use of this type of fishing gear within 150 metres off the coast.
This legal document also decreases the number of licensed traps for different fleet segments in the Region. In the case of trap cages for mullet and octopus, the legislation allows 200 traps for vessels less than nine metres and 300 traps for vessels between nine and 14 metres.
In the case of vessels exceeding 14 meters, the use of these traps is not allowed.
With regard to cage traps for shrimp, vessels less than nine metres are allowed to use 100 traps, vessels between nine and 14 metres are limited to 150 traps and vessels over 14 meters can use up to 250 traps.
As for cage traps for crustaceans, vessels less than nine metres can use 200 traps, vessels between nine and 14 metres can have up to 300 traps and those exceeding 14 metres are limited to 400 traps.
Cage traps for crustaceans are used to catch lobster (Palinurus elephas), slipper lobster (Scyllarides latus), small slipper lobster (Scyllarus arctus), European spider crab (Maja Brachydactyla), toothed rock crab (Cancer bellianus) and deep-sea red crab (Chaceon affinis).
The use of traps in simultaneous with other fishing gear is now forbidden on local and coastal vessels, including the use of different types of traps.
This ordinance shall enter into force next Thursday, October 19. The licenses already issued shall remain in force until the end of their validity.