VdT planns in the Council?

Firstly I would like to thank all of you that signed the petition. I was expecting to gather more signatures, but 21 is quite good for this purpose.

Yesterday (its now 00:07, 12 February) I sent a formal letter adressed to the Câmara President with the petition, and an Email as well. At least they will know that no less then 21 souls will be keeping an eye on the VdT developments, and I believe its much more then this.

For those who would like to see the formal document I sent, please pm me or email me (click on nick name on the left).

Regards



Edited by Paramonte - 12-Feb-2010 at 8:42am

I have read the original short notice... looks like the Aljezur Council has refused (at this stage) to go on with the negotiations with the govern regarding the Natural Park, because all the Council sugestions to alter the initial governemet framework have been ignored.

So the Aljezur Coincil will not proceed to the next step...which incidentally was... the public discussion. It does not mean that the Council is against the public discussion (PD), means that being the PD the next step in the process, the Council will not take it now, as a kind of protest.

Bear in mind that the PD is a legal requirement, and as such was (still is) advertised in the Council site(flashing banner on the right).

I was quite expeting this to happen. Alezur Council was not happy about heavy restrictions on fishing in the the local sea, and not happy with many other restrictions (building etc..). I think the council firstly took the smooth aproach, and is now showing their teeth...honeymoon is over?

Edited by Paramonte - 06-Mar-2010 at 9:49pm

This is an automatic translation of the article in "Barlavento" regarding the fishing restrictions in the Natural Park shores.

Recreational fishing in the Natural Park of Costa Vicentina not be suspended
Thursday, May 28, 2009 | Posted by Sargus


"The Order of recreational fishing in the Natural Park [Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina] will not be suspended," assured the "windward" Humberto Rosa, Secretary of State for the Environment.

Humberto Rosa also said that the demonstration of fishermen in the Algarve and Alentejo, which took place on Sunday 24 in Lisbon, was "unnecessary" because the ordinance will not be suspended, despite what the sportsmen require.

The fact was that the numbers that the organization provided six thousand protesters fell far short of the estimate.

The Secretary of State speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Center for Reproduction of the Lynx, the Herdade das Santinhas, in Lagos, on Friday evening.

The protests have put forward something in the past, but now may be unnecessary. Is that about the ordinance, "for now, there will be changes, or its suspension, until it will be reviewed after a year of being in force. Be reviewed and then reconsidered what is necessary ", stressed Humberto Rosa.

The fishermen had already manifested in Sagres and Odemira due to restrictions imposed by the ordinances 143 and 144 of 5 February. However, the government backed down and adopted a new ordinance "that addresses the main issues raised," explained the Secretary of State for the Environment.

However, the League for the Protection of Nature (LPN), the day after the onset of fishermen, issued a statement in which he defended the amendments to Ordinance 458-A, 4 May, waive or reduce the effects of the Decree 143, considering 'unfortunate the government has bowed to pressure to amend the regulation exercised by some fishermen and the Municipal Councils of the region'.

According to this statement, LPN understood "the protests of recreational fishermen to argue that the professional fishing is a major cause of depletion of fish stocks, and will make every effort to ensure that it will have a regulation more sustainable", but states that 'only recreational fishermen misinformed about the benefits of implementing these rules "may" defend free access to the sea ".

However, the movements of the fishermen intend to organize themselves to make efforts to preserve and clean the fish.

The 'windward', the State Secretary Humberto Rosa said that such measures are necessary. "We must clean the fish and, of course, the fishermen are good agents. Also we have to identify sites that are safe for fishing at night and identify the access paths that are appropriate, "advanced

Aljezur Municipal Assembly's view on Costa Vincentina's proposals courtesy of Regiao Sul.

Aljezur want to stop the new Regulation of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina
The president of the Municipal Assembly of Aljezur threatened on Thursday use "all legal means" to prevent the entry into force of the Regulation of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina.

"We will use all legal means to stop the regulation, because if it is to be implemented, it will stifle the city financially," he told Lusa Marreiros Manuel, a former mayor and current president of the Municipal Assembly of Aljezur.

Public discussion of the proposed new Regulation of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina began Thursday and runs until the end of April.

According to the mayor, the sixth version of the draft document "is a cosmetic which contains irregularities that violate the Regional Plan of Territorial Planning of the Algarve, and ignores almost all of the suggestions made over several years by the municipality of Aljezur .

Marreiros to Manuel, the current proposal to "suspend all licenses approved, will exacerbate the economic and financial situation, since it ignores any future perspectives for the balanced and sustainable development" of Aljezur.

The president of the Municipal Assembly from that county of West Algarve classifies the proposal as "an affront to the very nature park" and accuses the Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (ICNB) and the Secretariat for the Environment for not having "no vision of conservation nature.

"With all the prohibitions and limitations, will eventually ruin the park, one of the areas that should be protected, but open to sustainable development," he noted.

"These people have to mobilize, to show their indignation and firmly opposed to this regulation," said the mayor.

For Manuel Marreiros, there is still "hope" that the document is not approved, if there is intervention by the prime minister.

"The Prime Minister promised that the rules of the park would only be approved with the agreement of all the mayors involved," said the mayor.

The Municipal Assembly of Aljezur, who objected unanimously to the proposal, it shall meet on March 26 to "take a stand and to consider measures that can be developed to lock the document.

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Regards



Leo

Edited by Mattiespeople - 19-Mar-2010 at 9:05am

Latest update on this topic courtesy of Regaio Sul:

Costa Vicentina: Mayors doubt the constitutionality of the development plan
The development plan for the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina is a "document articulated tedious, of dubious constitutionality" and "clear interference in municipal powers."

This is a joint statement of the mayors of Aljezur, Vila do Bispo and Beja, in a statement to show their displeasure and concern.

Met on March 22 to review the first version of the plan that was submitted for public discussion, the mayors say the document has evolved but is far from deserving consensus.

The three leaders say the plan is bad for livestock, agriculture and fisheries and that will contribute to the "definitive abandonment and withering away" of these activities.

On the other hand, stressed: "The plan imposes new rules to build in the Natural Park, ignoring the rights acquired by local owners, including several cases with favorable opinions issued by ICNB.

The mayors say they continue "without understanding the need to establish a line of 2km of coastal protection, ignoring the existence of physical barriers such as roads, as well discriminatory and baseless that will prevent tourism development so necessary to the local economy."

José Ameralinho, Aljezur, José Guerreiro, Beja, and Adelino Soares, Vila do Bispo, stressed in a statement they want to "publicly express currently deep concern, discomfort and inconvenience from the standpoint that the entire political process raises them."

And to finish off that "they will join with anyone who are concerned with the legitimate interests of the people and balanced development of territories.

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The LPN stand-point courtesy of Barlavento online:

LPN wants to transform Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina National Park

The League for the Protection of Nature (LPN) launched last week, a campaign entitled "Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina the National Park", which foresees the establishment of a technical proposal to be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and an electronic petition.

The goal is to draw attention to the importance of the natural values of this area is classified as a Natural Park, covering the municipalities of the Algarve Vila do Bispo and Aljezur, Alentejo and the Beja, and Sines.

Contacted by the Barlavento On;line, Francisco Moreira, the direction of the LPN, said to be "a proposal to the Ministry of Environment, an organization that, under the law, one that gives the highest status as protected areas. This proposal will necessitate a survey of natural values, and the justification of the rationale for the League to ask for this change to National Park. "

Behind this campaign is the requirement on the part of the oldest environmental association in Portugal, which equips the leaders of that area economic and legal means for implementing environmental protection measures "socially acceptable".

One of the examples listed by Francisco Moreira is the management of agricultural areas, where there must be "a reconciliation of environmental protection with the fact that there are private owners."

The creation of a Marine Protected Area to sustainable fish stocks, and the denunciation of "pressures incompatible with sustainable development and a proposed revision of agri-environment and forest environment to preserve the natural values, supporting farmers and owners that provide for the conservation 'are other points of the campaign.

The fact is that this campaign comes at the same time you are about to advance the public discussion of the Land Management Plan (OP) of the Natural Park, whose final version is released today.

"It is a coincidence to be at the same time. The management problems occur with the OP, whether natural or national park ', it Francisco Moreira.

On this point, the mayor of Aljezur Amarelinho Joseph, told Barlavento, stated that it has "any kind of prejudice against the goal of the LPN. I'll have plenty to say about this matter in due course, but at this point, I note the timing of the association and coincidence to do this will leave when we go into full heart of the discussion of the OP Park ".

Moreover, the mayor complained that the Boards have not yet been contacted by the association. "We are responsible for this territory, as well as representatives of these populations. Do not forget that this is an area subject to huge conflicts, tensions and anxieties that generate a large tear. "

But one of the assurances given by Francisco Moreira to Barlavento is that both the Institute for Conservation of Nature, as the authorities' will be contacted shortly. We will present our proposals and see the availability 'of entities.

For even if there are differences in various aspects, as the San Francisco Moreira, fact remains that there is an agreement and joint work, which is a view shared by the mayor aljezurense.

Having a joint approach, the new statute, in view of the LPN, it may assist the sustainable development and create opportunities, for example for rural tourism and nature.

The basis of this campaign, the technical and electronic petition also aim to bring this matter to be discussed in the Portuguese Parliament.

The truth is, as yet, there is only one National Park in the Portuguese territory, the Peneda-Geres, and Francisco Moreira stated that the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina is also "values, whether natural or biodiversity 'which justify the application of this statute.

However, the classification of National Park requires the existence of 'examples of conservation', which already occur in the coastal area of Alentejo and Algarve, but also require a criterion for preservation and conservation of natural values to be much tighter.
This is the highest classification level of protected areas, and corresponds to category II in the rankings of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).