(Marta Madina / 27-04-10) Oceana asks the European Union to take immediate legal action against the government of Spain and the Xunta de Galicia.

Today, the international marine conservation organization Oceana is publishing a case study with two letters, revealing that the European Commission denies any direct responsibility for subsidies paid under the European Fisheries Fund to a company closely linked to IUU fishing (Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported). At the same time, the Xunta de Galicia finds no legal reason to not subsidize a company or individuals that have been sanctioned for IUU fishing. Both letters were received in response to an Oceana request about the 4.02 Euro grant to Biomega Nutrición.

Despite new legislation against IUU fishing in Spain, the Xunta de Galicia points out: “According to the February 12, 2009 Order which regulates financial aid, there is no reason to not grant aid to a company sanctioned for a ship involved in illegal fishing activity”.

In December 2009, Oceana denounced the case of 4.02 million Euro in fishing subsidies for a new fish processing plant owned by Antonio Vidal Suárez and his son Manuel Antonio Vidal Pego, known worldwide for their continued involvement in illegal fishing for more than a decade. The company, Biomega Nutrición, is receiving 4.02 million Euro in subsidies to build a factory to produce Omega 3 fatty acids from fish liver oil. Fish liver oil comes mostly from vulnerable deep sea sharks. Two infamous IUU fishing vessels belonging to Vidal’s network of companies, the blacklisted Corvus and the Antillas Reefer, were found guilty and convicted of IUU fishing for deepsea sharks in 2008. Both are formally owned by companies that have the same address as Biomega Nutrición.

“The madness of continuous subsidizing of IUU fishing by the European Union Fisheries Fund has to stop immediately. We need direct provisions in the new Common Fisheries Policy regulation to stop any subsidies or state aid to individuals, companies or fishing vessels involved in, or economically linked to, IUU fishing”, declares Anne Schroeer, economist with Oceana.

The new European Union regulation on IUU fishing, in force since January 1st 2010, does not require import permits for fish liver oil or shark liver oil as those products are excluded from the definition of fish products in the regulation.

Antonio Vidal Suárez and his son Manuel Antonio Vidal Pego own, partly own, operat or are economically linked to at least nine fishing vessels that have been involved in and sanctioned for IUU fishing by the Spanish and other governments worldwide. At least three of the fishing vessels closely linked to Vidal’s companies are currently listed in the CCAMLR IUU blacklist. In the last ten years, the companies of Vidal Suárez and Vidal Pego received subsidies of nearly 10 million Euro, despite their well known involvement in illegal fishing activities.

Fishing Subsidies financing IUU fishing. Case Study: Antonio Vidal Suárez, Manuel Antonio Vidal Pego
Letter from European Commission – D. G. for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Letter from Xunta de Galicia – Secretaría General del Mar