Fish stock conservation: multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean

The European Parliament adopted by 540 votes to 53, with 14 abstentions, a legislative resolution amending, under the consultation procedure, the proposal for a Council regulation concerning a multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.

The main amendments were as follows:

Definitions: “joint fishing operation” means any operation between two or more catching vessels flying the flag of different CPCs or of different Member States or by vessels flying the same flag where the catch of one catching vessel is attributed to one or more other catching vessels in accordance with an allocation key.

Conditions relating to fishing possibilities: the flag Member State shall suspend the licence to fish for bluefin tuna and may require the vessel to proceed immediately to a port designated by it when the individual quota is deemed to be exhausted.

Landings: by way of derogation from Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93, the master of a Community fishing vessel referred to in Article 14 of this Regulation or his representative shall notify the competent authority of the Member State (including the flag Member State) or the CPC whose ports or landing facility they wish to use at least four hours before the estimated time of arrival at the port or, if the distance to port is shorter, at the end of the fishing operations and prior to starting the return journey.

Transhipment: prior to entry into any port, the master or the representative of the transhipping fishing vessel shall provide the competent authorities of the State whose port he wants to use at least 48 hours before the date, port and estimated time of arrival.

National observer programme: pending the actual implementation by ICCAT of the Regional observer programme, each Member State shall ensure:

a)      observer coverage for at least 100% (at least 20% according to the proposal) of its active purse seine catching vessels over 24 metres;

b)      in the case of joint fishing operations, the presence of an observer on each catching vessel during the fishing operation.