Criticism as Spain gives licenses to harvest coral on Catalan coast

Coral reefs are the ultimate casus belli between Spain and Catalonia. Madrid has just granted twelve licenses to harvest such marine invertebrates, which has sparked some criticism among Catalan political parties and activists. The Spanish agriculture ministry has given permission to twelve individuals to harvest coral in some parts of the Barcelona coast and the Costa Brava (from Arenys de Mar to Begur) on the grounds that it is helping fishermen “survive.” This, though, seems to clash with a scientific report ordered by the Catalan government last year stating that in Catalonia “only 10% of the [coral] population are in good state of preservation.”

Indeed, the pro-independence Esquerra party and the unionist Socialists have already denounced the permissions given to harvest coral. The criticism has been joined by the PACMA party, focused on animal rights and welfare. Esquerra officials in the area involved announced on Monday “social and institutional measures” to prevent the harvest from taking place. “This measure is against the marine biodiversity preservation and coast protection policies,” says the party in a statement.