📋 Tender Overview
The 3rd Extraordinary Meeting of the National Council of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conape) took place today today. On the agenda was the proposal of the list of endangered animals, especially the aquatic species, of interest to the fishing sector.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), as well as members of Conape. The Council is formed by civil society entities, fishermen and aquaculture and is managed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA).
The General Coordinator of the Department of Sustainable Use Conservation of MMA biodiversity, Nadinni Oliveira, spoke about the procedure for elaborating the lists of endangered species. She explained that this process follows a harsh rite, in several stages, involving the participation of different organs. The Ministry of the Environment has the prerogative to analyze the propositions and, within 60 days, to issue a final opinion. This is done consulting experts, who analyze the feasibility of including a species on the list, he added.
Then, ICMBios environmental analyst Estevao Carino Souza detailed how the assessment is made by the municipality. According to him, the method used evaluates any kind of living in the area of natural distribution of species. 5 criteria are used: the reduction of the population; the geographical distribution; the small or declining population; the small and restricted population and quantitative analysis. For each of these criteria, there is a quantitative threshold, permeated of qualitative thresholds, which once contemplated, the species can be included in one of the threat categories, he explained.
The ICMBio biologist also pointed out that other factors can contribute to the classification of a species as threatened with extinction such as pollution, fires, predatory fishing and even urban development. From this, species can be classified as critically in danger, in danger or vulnerable. Ultimately, they are indicated as extinct, according to the disappearance at a given location.
Then it was the turn of the General Coordinator of Management and Fishing Planning of the MMA Fishery Shared Management Department, Roberto Gallucci, to present the threatened aquatic recovery plan. The document brings goals, objectives and guidelines to ensure the conservation of aquatic species. Currently, there are 10 ongoing recovery plans, including 24 different species, mostly of marine origin.
With the end of the presentation, Conape members were able to answer their questions about the procedure and inclusion in threatened species lists. Some of them criticized the inconsistency in the data and the lack of updating policies and guidelines for the preservation and recovery of aquatic species.
MPA Executive Secretary Edipo Araujo stressed the importance of debating this agenda with the fishing sector and civil society, as it is of interest to all. From todays meeting, we were able to divide the species that would enter the list and created a calendar for receiving new information. Then we can propose a new list and the evaluation sheets for knowledge of the sector, he concluded.
Shared Responsibility - The National Biodiversity Commission (Conabio) is the main in charge of the preparation of threatened species lists in the country. However, the MMA body is not solely responsible for managing this information. These decisions are made shared between various ministries, including MMA and MPa.
