Code of Good Practices

FADs

FADs

FADs Management

A FADs Management Plan, designed in 2010, at the initiative of OPAGAC/AGAC together with the IEO and the Maritime Fishing General Secretariat which includes the creation of a FADs Log/Inventory.

Limitation of FADS

The Spanish tuna sector self-limited in February 2015 upon only having 550 active FADs in the Indian Ocean, which was later set out in Resolution CTOI 15-08.

SHARK RELEASE TECHNIQUES

WHALE SHARK RELEASE TECHNIQUES

100% OBSERVERS

Currently, the OPAGAC/AGAC fleet has 100% observers coverage, and they may be physical and electronic

Our fleet, as a fundamental part of the verification of the Code of Good Practice, committed itself to voluntary observers since 2012, reaching 100% coverage in 2014, ceding its data to IEO and AZTI scientists for research purposes.

The presence of observers on our fleet dates from the nineties, since the creation of AIDCP in the IATTC area. At that time, all ships that operated in the IATTC area must have 100% observer coverage.

Later, in 2003, National Plan of Basic Information was created in Spain, where it was obligatory to have 10% observer coverage in ICCAT and IOTC areas of competence.

Finally, from 2008, the presence of observers on vessels operating in the area of the WCPFC was made mandatory, having some cases where OPAGAC/AGAC vessels operated with two observers on board, one of IATTC and another WCPFC

Sea Tube – DOS

TURTLE RELEASE TECHNIQUES

TRAINING

The fundamental philosophy of OPAGAC/ AGAC companies is linked to the experience and knowledge of their crew. That is the biggest asset that our shipping companies have and it is the secret of their success.

Fishermen are primarily interested in maintaining tuna stocks in healthy conditions for the activity on which their livelihood depends.

The search for improvements in the efficiency of tuna fishing within the framework of responsible and sustainable fishing has been a common practice for this fleet.

To address the challenges of improving the sustainability of the fishery, since 2012 we have been holding training workshops within the organization.

After, these workshops have been transformed into training courses for communication of Good Practices that ISSF has been promoting and continues to promote worldwide.

As an organization aware of the importance of training and development, OPAGAC in 2014 collaborated and co-financed on the project “Towards improving the sustainability of the Spanish fishing sector” we trained, under the program “Green Jobs” from the Biodiversity Foundation, more than 250 workers in the fishing sector in the application of good practices to reduce the environmental impact of their activities on the marine environment.

MANTA RAY RELEASE TECHNIQUES