Portuguese gov't expects European Commission to approve Portugal, Spain sardine quota

Portugal's government said on Friday it is expecting a report by the European Commission next week on Portugal and Spain's sardine quotas.

"I hope next week we will have a report by the commission on this matter and to be able to make a decision internally," said Ana Paula Vitorino, Portugal's Minister for Sea, at a conference taking place in Horta, at the Faial island of the Azores archipelago, according to Portuguese Lusa News Agency.

According to Lusa, a sustainability plan for sardine fishery was presented to the European Commission on Tuesday.

The document foresees a substantial increase in the country's fishing quota, with Paula Vitorino has pointing out that Portugal and Spain should be able to capture up to 17,000 tonnes of sardines this year. The government wants two thirds to go to Portugal and another third to Spain.

The European Commission has taken measures to help the Iberian sardine stock biomass recover, with Spain and Portugal limiting their annual catches.

But the government says it has scientific evidence that its plan to raise catches this year is sustainable. Endit