For the regulation of fishing with these gears, the results of the scientific monitoring and the socioeconomic aspects are taken into account.
In the Balearic Islands, it is traditional the use of the jonquillera or gerretera gears, which are used to catch chanquete, cabotín and gerret.
The Consell de Govern has approved the Decree that modifies Decree 19/2019, of 15 March, which establishes the Multi-island Management Plan for Fishing with Traditional Fishing Gear in the Waters of the Balearic Islands, and Decree 15/2022, of 16 May, which establishes a Management Plan for Professional Artisanal Fishing in the Inland Waters of the Pitiusas Islands.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Approval of the modification of the Decree for the fishing with fishing gears and the Management Plan for the Fishing in Pitiusas
In the Balearic Islands it is traditional to use the trawls known as ‘jonquillera’ and ‘artet per a gerretera’, which are used to catch, respectively, red porgy (Aphia minuta) and redfish (Pseudaphya ferreri), and red sea bream (Spicara smaris). Due to their socio-economic importance, the Balearic Islands have a specific regulation for fishing with these gears, which takes into account, on the one hand, the results of scientific monitoring and, on the other, the socio-economic aspects and the opinion of the fishermen’s guilds concerned.
Council Regulation (EC) 1967/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea sets out a series of prohibitions and limitations for towed gears, which may be authorised if Member States approve specific management plans in territorial waters. Since 2013, and by the provisions of Regulation (EC) 1967/2006, fishing with towed gear in the Balearic Islands has been regulated using multi-island management plans, with the status of decrees, which have been successively renewed over time and which regulate aspects linked to reducing or not increasing fishing effort and conserving marine ecosystems, among other requirements.
These management plans are the measure required by the European Commission to approve exemptions to Regulation (EC) 1967/2006. On 29 February of this year, the European Commission renewed, for the Balearic Islands, the exemption to the prohibition of towed gears through implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/755, so it is appropriate to amend Decree 19/2019, of 15 March, which establishes the Multi-island Management Plan for Fishing with Traditional Fishing Gear in the Waters of the Balearic Islands, to incorporate some new developments arising from the results of the monitoring and the agreements of the Co-Management Commission regarding the ordinary management of the fishery and the capture of by-catch and by-catch species.
On the other hand, artisanal fishing in the inland waters of the Pitiusas is regulated by Decree 15/2022, of 16 May, which establishes a Management Plan for Professional Artisanal Fishing in Inland Waters.
This Plan foresees a Co-Management Commission, which in the last meeting agreed to modify the Decree to extend the fishing period without weekly rest from April 1st to September 30th, maintaining 210 working days of maximum annual effort per boat.This modification aims to increase the profitability of small-scale vessels by taking advantage of periods in which the Pitiusan markets are still active, but without affecting the sustainability of the resources, given that there is no increase in fishing effort.