The Consello de la Xunta gave the green light this Monday to the signing of four new agreements with the fishing guilds of O Grove, Rianxo, Redondela, and Pontedeume, aimed at the regeneration of shellfish beds damaged by the heavy rains recorded last winter.
The total amount of these agreements amounts to 2,659,819.10 euros, with co-financing from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). With these new authorizations, the number of fishing guilds benefiting from these aids in Galicia stands at 18.
Actions in O Grove and predator control
The restoration plan of the San Martiño Fishermen's Guild of O Grove has a budget of 751,371.65 euros and will cover an area of 3,524,523.90 square meters. Nine shellfish gatherers will participate in this project.
Among the main measures is the mechanical conditioning of the substrate using tractors with large hooks, tillers, and water pumps with high-pressure jets in the southern areas of Correlo, A Pedra-Teixeira, and Rego do Sol.
In addition, the shellfish gatherers will be responsible for locating native predators on the islet of O Tourís, Con de Meloxo, and Cantodorxo, while also acting against invasive exotic species such as Crepipatella dilatata. In parallel, divers will carry out campaigns to extract muricids.
Agreements with Redondela and Rianxo
The agreement authorized with the San Xoán de Redondela Fishermen's Guild includes an allocation of 653,488.65 euros to cover the recovery work that 82 shore-based shellfish gatherers will carry out.
The interventions will be carried out over 693,143 square meters in the intertidal zone between Caseta do Ceboleiro and Arealonga beach. The shellfish gatherers will work on conditioning the substrate using mechanical tillers and manual hoes, with the aim of optimizing the granulometric conditions of the seabed.
As for the agreement with the Rianxo Guild, an investment of 856,427.31 euros is planned to finance the workdays of 94 shore-based shellfish gatherers. The technical document includes the carrying out of 168 intervention days on a total of 21 shellfish beds, covering 1,507,218 square meters.
In the area of predator control, the plan includes the placement of protective nets on 17 beds for the capture of ouxas, as well as cleaning work of organic debris on 20 sandy areas.
Pontedeume Plan and clam seeding
The agreement assigned to the guild of Pontedeume has a budget of 398,531.49 euros and foresees the involvement of 14 shellfish gatherers from the management plan. The substrate improvement actions will be concentrated on eight shellfish beds totaling 41,850 square meters.
To compensate for the loss of biomass, the guild plans to sow 1,800,000 units of carpet shell clams in the sandy bottoms of Croa Pequena, Zopazos, and A Pillada-A Pía, further reinforcing these efforts with contributions of fine clams in Croa Grande.
Intecmar becomes an autonomous agency
On another matter, the weekly meeting of the Galician Executive reported on the adaptation of the Technological Institute for the Control of the Marine Environment of Galicia (Intecmar) to the figure of an autonomous public agency.
This organizational change guarantees that the body will continue to carry out its work with a legal formula in accordance with current regulations, keeping its functions, technical capabilities, and services intact since its creation. The new entity will be renamed the Autonomous Agency for the Control of the Marine Environment of Galicia (Axencia Intecmar).
The Xunta emphasized that the conversion into an agency does not imply substantial modifications in the ordinary activity of Intecmar nor does it entail additional costs for the autonomous administration.