Spain, Portugal quabble over sardine quota

Portugal and Spain have "different approaches" regarding the criteria for the division of the quota for sardines, Minister of Agriculture, Assuncao Cristas, said on Tuesday, according to Portuguese Lusa News Agency.

The sardine quota is managed by both Iberian countries and has been divided informally until today, with 30 per cent going to Spain and 70 per cent going to Portugal.

"It's a subject that has been the subject of many political and technical discussions, but Portugal and Spain do not share the same point of view," Cristas said, during a visit to a ship which was preparing a scientific campaign to assess sardine stocks.

"We believe that the history of more recent years should be applied," she added, pointing out that she believed Brussels would use this same criteria.

She said further dialogue between both countries was required to reach a favorable criteria for both countries.

"We all want the situation to improve, but we have to act with caution together with Spain, because otherwise Brussels could impose a quota which could be much worse than what we have at the moment," Cristas said.

The Spanish government pointed out on Saturday that there was no quota agreement of sardine harvesting in place between both countries, according to Lusa, after Portuguese fishing associations accused Madrid of wanting to "adulterate" the fishing distribution. Endit