Bulgarian fishermen want higher turbot quota
For the first time since Bulgaria's EU membership, the country was given the right to catch more turbot in the Black Sea. At the beginning of the year, the quota for Bulgaria and Romania was increased by 32% in 2018, with the two countries catching a total of 114 tonnes for the year. The news has been recognized as a great success by both the business and the institutions given the great importance of this type of fishing for the sector and the challenge of creating conditions for equality among all Black Sea countries. However, is the allowable catch enough, and can we hope for a larger quota?
For the first time since Bulgaria's EU membership, the country was given the right to catch more turbot in the Black Sea. At the beginning of the year, the quota for Bulgaria and Romania was increased by 32% in 2018, with the two countries catching a total of 114 tonnes for the year. The news has been recognized as a great success by both the business and the institutions given the great importance of this type of fishing for the sector and the challenge of creating conditions for equality among all Black Sea countries. However, is the allowable catch enough, and can we hope for a larger quota?
The turbot is a valuable species for Bulgaria, because it sells at very good prices. There is great interest to it and its market is unlimited in Turkey. This is actually the destination for which Bulgaria exports almost the entire quantity caught, says Yordan Gospodinov, Executive Director of BG FISH Association. And the quantity caught largely depends on the quota that gives us the chance to complete it. According to NAFA statistics, in 2017 (when the old quotas were still in force), the quantities caught were 41.8 tonnes, while a year earlier they were 42.3 tonnes.
Europe wants safeguards
The quota can be safely lifted up to 150 tons, Yordan Gospodinov says. However, if we want this to happen, we must be extremely prepared to defend ourselves before Europe. First of all, EAFA needs to prove that it can cope with poaching control. “So far this has been observed. Statistics show that there is low level of poaching, a lot of rules have been written about the management plans, the methods, the landings, the appliances. We can say that the control is already affected” says Gospodinov.
Another important factor is research by scientists. We need reliable data to defend our position before Europe, not to provide data for one year, according to which the resource exists and in another one is missing, said the representative of BG FISH. “For years, we have been telling the business that a large-scale survey has to be done. Up to now, money has been spent on individual research, and most of all in a period of the year when the turbot is not on our shore or the sea is turbulent and cold. A year-round study has to be done because the species arrives from the deeper places in the spring to spawn in the shallows. Small forms then hatch and start growing, while large fishes go inside for fattening. The turbot is not a local species, it is migratory. We do not know at all whether this turbot we are hunting is Ukrainian and where it comes from. It moves but comes to the shallow to spawn and then departs.”
However, it is already working in the right direction, Yordan Gospodinov is affirmative. In the past two years, funds have been allocated for timely research, and scientists, in turn, have been able to make relatively accurate analyses. “It all comes to the EC and it is there that they make the conclusions whether the population is stable and whether it is developing."
Scientists: We have no reason to request a larger quota
From 2014 on the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal studies are being conducted for the turbot population. This is what Dr. Elitsa Petrova, director of the Varna Institute of Fishery Resources, commented to us. According to them, the population is on average about 900 to 1000 tons, which means that there have been no major changes in the past years. For two years, research has already been conducted twice a year – one in the spring and the other in the autumn.
“We carried out the spring survey and we continue to work on stock assessment in the Bulgarian part of the Black Sea. The project is part of the national data collection program in the fisheries sector” comments Mrs. Petrova, Assoc. prof.
The collected data is currently being processed and the results are not yet ready, but no significant differences in the spring dynamics of the species for 2018 are expected. Scientists, however, are clear – we currently have no reason to require a higher quota for the turbot. The reason for this is that stocks can not be called stable. For a good population it is considered to be one of two thousand tons and more. Another factor is that in many cases when referring to a turbot quota, the stocks in a given country are not observed, and the general situation of the species development, adds Dr. Petrova.
115 ships go out for turbot this year
115 ships go out for turbot this year. This is a ship less than the commitment taken by our country before the EU. Prior to and during the public consultation period, meetings were held with industry representatives discussing the conditions for allocating the quota.
This year, EAFA continued the practice of the last few years to apply a shared approach for the allocation of the national quota by providing a part of it for distribution of the associations under Art. 10 (c) of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act;
After reviewing all the applications, a total of 115 fishing vessels were approved and special turbot catching permits were issued.
The turbot is a valuable species for Bulgaria, because it sells at very good prices. There is great interest to it and its market is unlimited in Turkey. This is actually the destination for which Bulgaria exports almost the entire quantity caught, says Yordan Gospodinov, Executive Director of BG FISH Association. And the quantity caught largely depends on the quota that gives us the chance to complete it. According to NAFA statistics, in 2017 (when the old quotas were still in force), the quantities caught were 41.8 tonnes, while a year earlier they were 42.3 tonnes.
Europe wants safeguards
The quota can be safely lifted up to 150 tons, Yordan Gospodinov says. However, if we want this to happen, we must be extremely prepared to defend ourselves before Europe. First of all, EAFA needs to prove that it can cope with poaching control. “So far this has been observed. Statistics show that there is low level of poaching, a lot of rules have been written about the management plans, the methods, the landings, the appliances. We can say that the control is already affected” says Gospodinov.
Another important factor is research by scientists. We need reliable data to defend our position before Europe, not to provide data for one year, according to which the resource exists and in another one is missing, said the representative of BG FISH. “For years, we have been telling the business that a large-scale survey has to be done. Up to now, money has been spent on individual research, and most of all in a period of the year when the turbot is not on our shore or the sea is turbulent and cold. A year-round study has to be done because the species arrives from the deeper places in the spring to spawn in the shallows. Small forms then hatch and start growing, while large fishes go inside for fattening. The turbot is not a local species, it is migratory. We do not know at all whether this turbot we are hunting is Ukrainian and where it comes from. It moves but comes to the shallow to spawn and then departs.”
However, it is already working in the right direction, Yordan Gospodinov is affirmative. In the past two years, funds have been allocated for timely research, and scientists, in turn, have been able to make relatively accurate analyses. “It all comes to the EC and it is there that they make the conclusions whether the population is stable and whether it is developing."
Scientists: We have no reason to request a larger quota
From 2014 on the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal studies are being conducted for the turbot population. This is what Dr. Elitsa Petrova, director of the Varna Institute of Fishery Resources, commented to us. According to them, the population is on average about 900 to 1000 tons, which means that there have been no major changes in the past years. For two years, research has already been conducted twice a year – one in the spring and the other in the autumn.
“We carried out the spring survey and we continue to work on stock assessment in the Bulgarian part of the Black Sea. The project is part of the national data collection program in the fisheries sector” comments Mrs. Petrova, Assoc. prof.
The collected data is currently being processed and the results are not yet ready, but no significant differences in the spring dynamics of the species for 2018 are expected. Scientists, however, are clear – we currently have no reason to require a higher quota for the turbot. The reason for this is that stocks can not be called stable. For a good population it is considered to be one of two thousand tons and more. Another factor is that in many cases when referring to a turbot quota, the stocks in a given country are not observed, and the general situation of the species development, adds Dr. Petrova.
115 ships go out for turbot this year
115 ships go out for turbot this year. This is a ship less than the commitment taken by our country before the EU. Prior to and during the public consultation period, meetings were held with industry representatives discussing the conditions for allocating the quota.
This year, EAFA continued the practice of the last few years to apply a shared approach for the allocation of the national quota by providing a part of it for distribution of the associations under Art. 10 (c) of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act;
After reviewing all the applications, a total of 115 fishing vessels were approved and special turbot catching permits were issued.
By Georgi UZUNOV
Source: Agrozona.bg