International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT): management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention Area

PURPOSE: to transpose into Union law the management, conservation and control provisions adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007.

CONTENT: this Regulation lays down management, conservation and control provisions relating to fishing for highly migratory fish species managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

The European Union has been a Contracting Party to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (the ICCAT Convention) since 14 November 1997.

The ICCAT Convention provides a framework for regional cooperation on the conservation and management of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and the adjoining seas through the setting up of an International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (the ICCAT).

The ICCAT has the authority to adopt binding recommendations for the conservation and management of the fisheries under its purview.

The Regulation shall transpose into EU law the conservation, control and enforcement measures adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. The transposition proposal relates to the measures adopted by ICCAT since 2008, with the exception of the multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, which is subject to a separate transposition process through Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Subject matter and scope: the new regulation shall apply to the Union vessels fishing in the ICCAT Convention area or, in the case of transhipments, in the area outside the ICCAT Convention area for the species caught in the ICCAT Convention area.

The management measures are divided into seven chapters, each covering one species: (i) tropical tunas; (ii) North Atlantic albacore; (iii) swordfish (Atlantic and Mediterranean); (iv) blue marlin and white marlin; v) sharks; vi) seabirds (by-catch) and vii) turtles (by-catch).

Control and monitoring measures: the Regulation contains measures on:

• the ICCAT record of large scale vessels which is a list, maintained by the ICCAT Secretariat, of large scale fishing vessels authorised to  target ICCAT species in the ICCAT Convention Area;
• chartering;
• control of catches, and notably compliance with quotas and minimum size requirements, catch sampling and catch and fishing effort notification;
• transhipments;
• scientific observer programmes;
• monitoring of the fleets of third countries;
• procedure in case of infringements of the ICCAT conservation and management measures and monitoring of the fleets included in the ICCAT IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) list.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 3.12.2017.

DELEGATED ACTS: the Commission may adopt delegated acts to implement future amendments to the ICCAT recommendations in Union law. The power to adopt such acts is conferred on the Commission for a period of five years (renewable) from 3 December 2017. The European Parliament or the Council shall have the right to oppose a delegated act within a period of two months (extendable two months) from the notification of the act.