Blue crab, Legambiente against trawling:“Recipe to discard”

The alternative proposals:"de-bureaucratize the compensation machine and focus on scientific research"

ROME – Against the blue crab There are recipes to follow and others not.One of those to discard is using the emergency to circumvent the regulations on trawling. It would do too much damage.Goletta Verde of Legambiente today launches an appeal from the Adriatic, with this emphasis, to Enrico Caterino, new commissioner for the blue crab emergency, the day after his appointment.

He does so, in today's and tomorrow's stage in Emilia-Romagna, specifically indicating three proposals.

The first: the use of pots, selective fishing gear with low environmental impact, “the right way for crab fishing.This solution has already been tested in other countries such as Spain and Greece."However, fishing is fine "to stop the emergency, collect and dispose of the blue crab, but it is a temporary solution".

Then it is necessary “reduce bureaucracy and streamline the compensation and compensation process to companies in the fishing and aquaculture sector".

Finally, monitoring and scientific research.Study and analysis of the blue crab invasion they must be supported "in a constant and concrete manner so that a definitive solution to the problem can be found".

Addressing Caterino, former prefect of Ravenna and Rovigo, Stefano Ciafani, national president of Legambiente e Stefano Raimondi, responsible for biodiversity at Legambiente, tell him in particular that it is "fundamental that Italy avoids making management errors, such as a return to trawling.Rather, an experimental scientific plan to combat the proliferation of the blue crab should be defined as soon as possible, based on solutions that protect both the economy linked to sea bass, sea bream and mollusc farming and the health of Mediterranean ecosystems, especially coastal ones".

The exception to near-coast trawling “It must be avoided– specify Ciafani and Raimondi – because it would mean a serious step backwards on the protection of marine biodiversity and the safeguarding of species at risk that are victims of accidental catches such as dolphins and turtles, thus incentivising a type of fishing that has already caused damage to the marine ecosystem ”.

Having said this, they hope that Caterino's appointment "will be of help to the fishing and aquaculture sector of Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, and in general of the Upper Adriatic, which has been in check for over a year" due to the blue crab "which has practically compromised mussel production".