Fish stock conservation: multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean

The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report drafted by Raül ROMEVA i RUEDA (Greens/EFA, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 302/2009 concerning a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.

The committee recommends that the European Parliament’s position, adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure, should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

- the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recommendation 10-04 highlights the need to properly identify spawning grounds as a matter of urgency. Members consider that the protection of spawning grounds will be central to the ultimate success of the recovery plan and this should be borne in mind by all Contracting Parties (CPCs). This is why they call for the ICCAT Recommendation to foresee additional advice on the identification of spawning grounds and on the creation of sanctuaries to be developed by 2012;

- in addition, Members consider that the specific references to number and weight in excess used throughout the Article concerning caging operations should not be changed. This is also the wording used in the ICCAT recommendation. The word 'quantities' in excess used by the Commission in its proposal is considered less precise by the Members.