With the fishing of sardines still prohibited until the end of April, results of a scientific study led by sea and atmosphere institute IPMA reveal that stocks of the nation’s signature fish have actually increased by “more than 110%” in the space of a year.
Last year, ICES – the international council for the Exploration of the Sea – recommended a 15-year ban on sardine fishing in Portugal and neighbouring Spain (click here) due to stocks being at a critical low.
This new study shows that at the end of 2017 there were roughly 120,000 tons of sardines in the waters between Caminha and Cabo Espichel, while the year before stocks had been in the region of only 57,000 tons.
Portugal’s quota for sardine fishing this year (between 13,500 – 14,500 tons) is still below what fishing associations wanted, but is obviously a great deal better than the recommendation pushed by ICES.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
