a management model responsible and sustainable …
TRANSCRIPT
GRUP BALFEGÓ
A MANAGEMENT MODEL RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE
We would like to thank you for the opportunity to put forward our perspective, which could bring about an improvement in the area of sustainability in fisheries in general, and in particular the Bluefin Tuna area.
HISTORY• The Group Balfegó belongs to the fifth generation of fishermen in the
village of L' Ametlla de Mar.
• The group is formed by two boats, a Tuna farm and a commercial company, managing also other two ships of the Spanish fleet.
• The first fishermen to make a transfer of live tuna in the Mediterranean, the first to commercialize their catches, from the origin to the final consumer, the first to observe the reproduction of bluefin tuna, which would later be confirmed scientifically by Dra. Gordoa.
PIONEERS• First to propose measures of management and control in order to
eliminate unfair competition from those working outside the rules. Measures currently in force and accepted.
• Electronically trace the tuna individually, and in each and every one of its parts.
• The first and unique to electronically manage documents from capture at all phases.
• Possibly the only fishermen to invest money, and both material and human resources in the investigation of the tuna red.
EVOLUTION• In 5 years we have gone from 26 direct
discontinuous jobs, to 200 direct continuous jobs.
• We have diversified our commercial activity in different geographical markets, being the company with the least dependency on the Japanese market. Our market distribution: 44% to Japan market, 22% to the U.S. market and 34% to the European market.
• Have a programme of visits from schools and European Restaurants where they can get know the whole process. We also help them to understand the nutritional and culinary possibilities of the product, and also educates them its responsibility in the well‐exploitation of the resource.
WE REPRESENT
Today we represent:
• 18% in volume of the Spanish quota. • 16% in volume of the quota live B.T.A. • 50% in value of tuna production in Spain. • The brand more recognized in the major Markets.• Our presence in the town of L´ametlla de Mar, is
of vital importance to the economy of this village.• Our turnover represents 20% of all Catalan
extractive industry on first sale, and the same as all the rice of the Ebro delta.
OUR COMMINTMENTContribute responsibly to respect the environment.
Article 2 Regulation 2371 / 2002: “The objective of the Common Fisheries Policy should therefore be to provide for sustainable exploitation of living aquatic resources in the context of sustainable development, taking account of the environmental, economic and social aspects in a balanced manner".
VALUES.
• EFFICIENCY.‐ Because the resources we work with need to be treated in the most efficient way which guarantees the best possible final result.
• TRANSPARENCY.‐Making public the information that society and consumer ask for.
• COMMITMENT.‐We are committed to our customers and society in general, to satisfy their expectations in a sustainable manner.
• RESPONSABILIDAD.‐ Beyond the scrupulous compliance with laws and other obligations.
SUSTAINABILITY FACTORSThe factors involved in the sustainability of marine resources are multiple, as well as fishing, human activity is severely affecting the marine environment:
SUSTAINABLE FISHING
Art.3º.e) Regulation 2371 / 2002 defines sustainable exploitation as" the explotation of a stock in such a way that the future exploitation of the stock sill not be damaged and that it does not have a negative impact on the marine eco‐systems”
Our group believes that the definition of Sustainable fisheries or Sustainable exploitation, it should include something else:
That fishing activity, and the marketing of its production, which allows, the regeneration of renewable natural resources, above those agreed, and their conservation for future generations, maintaining itself thanks to the economic profitability; and is capable of generating value for society, quality employment, aiding social cohesion and equal opportunities.
MISSION
Capture, feeding, study and commercialization of the Blufin tuna under a system of sustainable corporate responsibility, which continues to satisfy the expectations of our clients on an ongoing basis and to ensure the continuation of the species for future generations.
SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND ECO‐EFFICIENCY
Currently, our boats fish for tuna live and its capture is directed, namely:
• Without accessory catches.
• Without accidental catches.
• With no discards.
• Without damage to the seabed.
• Exclusively adults exemplars.
• The only fishery, that allows the reproduction of the species, the year of the capture.
• And the method that generates more value per litre of fuel consumed.
They mean that our fishing is the most sustainable, and eco‐efficient.
SOCIAL VALUE
• Our crews benefit from fair distribution of income.
• The activity, associated with the farm, generates more stable jobs per kg of tuna from the sea, to maintaining the activity in the aquacaculture throughout the whole year.
ECONOMIC VALUE
• Associated with the activity of aquaculture, allow us to control the supply and demand, solving the main problem with the our primary sector.
• This the activity achieves the higher value added to fisheries products.
BALFEGÓ: RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES
Our activity does not destroy the resource, that is done by the irresponsibility of some operators, who must be punished, and in extreme cases removed from he activity.
RESEARCH
• To be competitive, a company can evolve and have a sustainable future, to invest in research, development and innovation.
• We have invested in research in the past three years more than two million Euros, as a result we have learnt to be more efficient, but also thanks to the knowledge of the species we can raise new and better ways to manage this fishery.
PROJECTS
We have funded, co‐financed, and or collaborated in more than the scientific projects, with different universities, and different scientific bodies.
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
• Only with a better scientific understanding of the fisheries, species it is possible to improve the efficiency of its management and achieving sustainability in fisheries, and at the same time and it is very important, a better awareness amongst the fisherman of the necessity to manage the resources with criteria of profitability in the long term.
• The Overfishing”, in our fishery has led to a recovery plan beginning in 2007.
THE OVERFISHING
Without doubt the reasons for over‐exploitation were the over capacity, and illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, and gaps in control.
But this is no reason to stigmatise a whole sector.
The action of punishing a whole sector, ignoring basic concepts of rights is illegal conduct and typical of totalitarian states.
MEASURES AGAINST OVEREXPLOITATION
• REDUCTION OF EFFORT (Nº OF SHIPS AND/OR NUMBER OF DAYS). ADAPTING THE FLEET
CAPACITY TO THE STATUS OF THE RESOURCE
• CONTROL MEASURES.
• SANCTIONS.
• IN ADDITION A CERTIFICATION OF RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES.
MEASURES AGAINST OVEREXPLOITATION
1) Measures to regulate the activity, regulating the fishing effort and limit catches, seem to be correct, but the criteria need to be established so that they are not adopted in an arbitrary way.
Favoring the presence of those
vessels that carry out their activities in a sustainable manner.
MEASURES AGAINST OVEREXPLOITATION
2) With regard to the INDNR fishing, we welcome the measures in the field of control, inspection and sanctions, provided for in regulation 1224 / 2009.
Responsibility, from fishing to consumption, because to have illegal fish in the marked, it is necessary to have:
• 1º Fisherman or illegal extractor.
• 2º A transformer or illegal marketer.
• 3º Uninformed consumer, who is unaware of his/her eating habits, either he/she is no worried by them, or nobody has given information about the origin of the products.
MEASURES AGAINST OVEREXPLOITATION
Is required the complicity of the entire chain, to illegal fishing to exists.
Inspection and control have to be in our ships and ports, during the landing or unloading before the first sale, but also and meanly have to be at points of sale of the different markets.
MEASURES AGAINST OVEREXPLOITATION
3) Certification, proving that the product comes from a sustainable‐responsible fishing, could be the stimulus to take us forward to the desired aim, being a big step towards the self‐control.
4) The system of control both on the seas and in port generate costs in their multimillions and they are, frankly, inadequate, while, at the same time, no controls whatsoever exist on the internal market.
RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE
SOURCE OF FISHING
MEASURES AGAINST OVEREXPLOITATION
4) Traceability: The demand for traceability in the marketing of all fishery products, with minimum costs for governments, is for us the only way to ensure transparency of this activity and the sustainability of long‐term activity.
Our group has shown it is possible to implement it.
REQUEST
Rules have to be orientated to promote the development of enterprises competitive and economically viable, by promoting the improvement of capture, management, transforming and marketing structures, independently of the size of the company.
DEMAND
Equality and justice for all fisheries and fishing arts, and that we are openly evaluated and objectively compared with others.
WE CAN AND WE MUST LEAVE OUR CHILDRENS A MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD, BUT TO DO THAT WE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN:
• Responsibility or irresponsibility.
• Profitability or subsidies.
• Quality employment or precarious.
• Innovation o tradition.
GRUP BALFEGÓ
We choose responsibility, profitability, quality of employment and innovation and we hope that these purposes, which are in the text of the rules, will also be at the very heart of the rules and at the heart of European fishing policy.