Over recent years, Bluefin tuna have gone from heavy over-exploitation to progressive recovery, thanks to a massive international effort led by the EU. To ensure continued sustainable management of the Bluefin tuna stock, the European Commission is committed to implement and even go beyond the international control measures for catches during the 2017 main fishing season.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Comoros have been identified as non-cooperating third countries under the EU's regulation to fight and deter illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, while Liberia has been pre-identified.

On Sunday 14 May, hundreds of EU staff and their families gathered in Ostend, on the Belgian coast, for the first major beach clean-up organised by the European Commission to raise awareness about marine litter ahead of the international Our Ocean conference in October. EU embassies around the world will host similar events during 2017, while actions also took place yesterday in Tanzania, Mauritania, Slovenia, Spain, Poland and Italy.

EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella will be at the Council in Brussels on Thursday 11 May to discuss with European Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers the proposal on the conservation of fishery resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures.

The European Commission has adopted an action plan setting out how Estonia can overcome identified shortcomings in its fisheries control system, following an audit programme on data management and control system in Estonian in 2015 and 2016.

Marine pollution is one of the key topics of the Our Ocean Conference. Every year millions of tons of litter end up in the ocean. It is estimated that by 2050 our seas could contain more plastic than fish. Aquaria are ideal partners to showcase this growing problem and to engage thousands of people, by presenting practical solutions.

The European Commission has adopted two action plans setting out how Belgium and Germany can overcome identified shortcomings in their fisheries control systems, following audit programmes on data management and control system held respectively in 2014 and 2015, and in 2015 and 2016. The measures and timeline of implementation were agreed together with the authorities of each Member State, in line with the procedure set out in Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 on fisheries control.