Management and control of fisheries in ports in the North-East Atlantic Commission area, has been approved by MEPs in Committee
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Control Measures Strengthened: MEPs Approve New Rules
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have given their approval to updated control measures for the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) area.
• Camera and sensor technologies in EU countries’ ports where more than 3 000 tonnes of pelagic species are weighed per year
• Four pelagic fisheries in the North-East Atlantic targeted: mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting and herring
• 22 species added the list of prohibited discarded catches, including cod, common sole and plaice
The new regulations, previously agreed upon with the Council, aim to improve the control of transhipment operations at sea and introduce prohibitions on discarding catches from certain species.
The Committee on Fisheries voted in favour of the draft law with 13 votes in favor, eight against, and no abstentions. The legislation, a result of negotiations with the Council, covers a range of measures designed to regulate fisheries in the North-East Atlantic area, targeting key pelagic species such as mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting, and herring.
One of the notable changes is the introduction of camera and sensor technologies in EU countries’ ports where more than 3,000 tonnes of pelagic species are weighed per year. The monitoring will be applied to landing and processing facilities handling landings exceeding 10 tonnes and more than 3,000 tonnes of specific pelagic stocks annually. The legislation explicitly excludes small-scale coastal and artisanal fishing operations.
The prohibited discarded catches list has been expanded to include 22 species, such as cod, common sole, plaice, and others. These measures align with the agreements reached with Norway, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom.
Rapporteur Francisco Guerreiro of the Greens/EFA group, Portugal, emphasised the importance of correctly and swiftly transposing the rules agreed with international partners. Guerreiro stated, “The agreement is balanced and fair,” highlighting that surveillance technology requirements apply only to landings above 10 tonnes. Furthermore, ports affected by the new measures can benefit from support under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) to cover potential installation and maintenance costs.
The European Commission initially proposed these measures on June 30, 2023, to incorporate the latest NEAFC recommendations not covered by existing EU law. With 301 authorised fishing vessels operating in the NEAFC Regulatory Area in 2022, the EU aims to consolidate all NEAFC measures under a single regulation.
Following the approval by the Committee on Fisheries, the next step involves endorsement by the plenary in one of the upcoming sessions, after which the new control measures will come into effect to bolster sustainable fisheries practices in the North-East Atlantic.
Source: Press Release