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Image: Stockfile FIS
Meeting in Vigo to Analyze the Ban on Shark Fin Trade
SPAIN
Wednesday, June 19, 2024, 01:00 (GMT + 9)
The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG Mare) of the European Commission has called a key meeting in Vigo, the heart of the Spanish fishing industry, to address the proposal that calls for vetoing the marketing of shark fins in the European Union.
Source: sharks.org
This European citizens' initiative, backed by more than 1.1 million signatures, calls on the EU to ban the practice of cutting off shark fins and disposing of the rest of the body in the sea, known as "shark finning". Although this cruel method is now banned, advocates argue that allowing the fins to be marketed perpetuates unsustainable demand.
The meeting in Vigo brings together representatives of DG Mare with shipowners, processing companies and exporters of seafood, in an attempt to evaluate the economic impact that a possible veto would have and apply ocean sustainability.
 “We need to hear all voices involved and fully understand the consequences before making a decision,” said a DG Mare spokesperson. “Vigo, as the undisputed capital of fishing in Spain and the EU, is the perfect place for this dialogue.”
Source: 21 Food -->
The Galician and Ecuadorian fishing sector has mobilized against the proposal, warning of the serious economic repercussions and possible job losses. They maintain that rigorous measures already exist against poaching and overfishing of sharks.
On the other hand, environmental and animal welfare groups applaud the citizen initiative and accuse the fishing industry of opposing the veto for economic reasons at the expense of sustainability.
This meeting in Vigo marks a turning point in the long process of reviewing the proposal. The European Commission is expected to make a final decision on the issue in the coming months.
Author: Raul Chavez | Cámara Ecuatoriana de Industriales y Procesadores Atuneros (Ceipa) (Translated from the original in Spanish)
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