Implementation into Union law of measures adopted by several Regional Fisheries Management Organisations

The Committee on Fisheries adopted a report by Thomas BAJADA (S&D, MT) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Regulation (EU) 2018/975 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention Area, Regulation (EU) 2019/833 laying down conservation and enforcement measures applicable in the Regulatory Area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation, Regulation (EU) 2021/56 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention, Regulation (EU) 2022/2056 laying down conservation and management measures applicable in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area, Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence, and Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:

In general, the amended text highlighted the potential future role of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) as the body acting on behalf of the European Commission in managing information flows and in serving as a reference point for Member States.

Moreover, amendments were introduced to enhance the readability and accessibility of the legal text for EU citizens and fishing operators, while ensuring coherence between the Union’s trade policy and its broader international ocean governance and sustainability objectives. Several parts of the proposal required updates to data protection provisions. In this regard, the amended text stated that personal data processed under this Regulation should not be stored for a period longer than 10 years, except if those personal data are necessary to enable the follow-up of an infringement, an inspection, or judicial or administrative procedures. In those cases, the personal data may be stored for a maximum of 20 years. If personal data are retained for a longer period, the data should be anonymised.

Safe release of sharks by purse seine vessels

Members made amendments concerning the safe release of sharks by purse seine vessels. It is stressed that if a shark is alive when caught by purse seine vessels and is not retained, the shark should be released by using the following procedures, or equally effective means:

- bycatch sorting/releasing devices for working/main deck, for instance hopper with a door or ramp;

 stretcher/cradle.

- dipnet;

- short de-hooker, for sharks brought on board;

- line cutter;

- short handled de-hooker, on vessels with freeboard of less than 2 metres;

- long-handled line cutter with length equal to or greater than the vessel’s freeboard length;

- long-handled de-hooker with length equal to or greater than the vessel’s freeboard length.

Margin of error

Members stated that the competent authority of the farm Member State may allow a margin of error of up to 5 % between the number of bluefin tuna individuals resulting from the carry-over assessment and the number of individuals expected to be present in the cage. When the difference is larger than 5 %, the competent authority of the farm Member State should order the release of the corresponding number of bluefin tuna individuals. The release operation should be conducted in accordance with Annex XII. Compensation for differences between different cages in the farm should not be allowed.