Algeria obtained, Monday evening in Genoa (Italy) an increase of its bluefin tuna fishing quota for the next three years, a prelude to restore its initial share which was 5% of the total of allowable catches in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic.
The head of the Algerian delegation participating in the 19th extraordinary meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Kamel Neghli, told APS that Algeria’s quota of bluefin tuna was fixed at 543 tons for 2017 against 243 tons in 2014.
Thus, Algeria’s quota decided by the ICCAT members at the end of their meeting held from 10 to 17 November in Genoa will gradually increase to reach 370 tons in 2015 and 460 tons in 2016 before reaching 543 tons in 2017, said Neghli, who is the principal private secretary at the ministry of Fishing and Fishery Resources.
It is difficult to snatch this quota,” according to Neghli who noticed that many countries obtained “insignificant” increases compared to Algeria.
In its “forcing” action that it is leading at the level of this intergovernmental organisation to recover its quota before 2010 which was at 680 tons, Algeria benefited from a “special and more favourable treatment” during this extraordinary meeting, he added.