Annual ICCAT meeting : following science and maintaining TACs to keep the recovery of the stocks
Today is the final day of the Annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), taking place in Cape Town. Commissioner Damanaki addressed the plenary and reemphasized the importance for ICCAT to continue to manage fish stocks in a way that allows for sustainable yield for fishermen and ensures a stable flow of products to the markets. You can read her speech here.
Discussions on the Eastern Bluefin Tuna TAC are well underway. The EU position is clear: the precautionary approach should prevail until new advice is available on the state of the stocks. Therefore, the EU supports the Scientific Committee's call for stability in the management of the stocks, including maintaining of the TAC, to allow for better assessments with fewer uncertainties in the future.
Next to its efforts for the recovery of Bluefin tuna, the EU continues to push for the protection of vulnerable shark species and will therefore work with the other Contracting Parties to support ICCAT measures which ban shark finning and are in line with the EU rules adopted recently.
Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy
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