On 22 April, the European Union, Norway and the Faroe Islands reached a coastal states agreement for the monitoring, control and surveillance (MSC) of shared pelagic stocks fisheries in the North-East Atlantic (mackerel, horse mackerel, blue whiting and herring).
The International Commission for the conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) met for its 26th Regular Meeting of the Commission, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain between the 18th and 25th November 2019. The parties to ICCAT adopted 17 Recommendations and Resolutions this year: two in relation with the new ICCAT Convention; six in relation with control, monitoring and surveillance activities; one in relation with marine pollution; as well as eight in relation to the conservation and management measures of marine species.
The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) gathered for its annual meeting in London from 12 to 14 November 2019. During the meeting, the European Union and the other contracting parties agreed on a number of conservation and management measures for 2020, covering several fish stocks, such as, blue whiting, Atlanto-Scandian herring, mackerel, porbeagle, basking shark, deep-sea sharks, chimaeras, rays and Rockall haddock.
The EU and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania have agreed to extend, for maximum one year, the protocol to the sustainable fisheries partnership agreement which was due to expire in November 2019.
The sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), which took place in Mauritius from 1-5 July, resulted in significant progress towards strengthening the regulatory framework of this relatively new organisation.
On 19 July 2019 the EU and Senegal concluded a new implementing protocol to the existing sustainable fisheries partnership agreement.
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) held its 23rd Annual Meeting in Hyderabad, India, from 17 to 21 June 2019. The EU welcomes the adoption of ambitious measures to improve the management of FADs and offset their possible negative impacts on the ecosystem, and the retention ban on Manta and Mobula rays. However, there is still a lot to be done to reach the sustainable management of stocks covered by the organisation’s mandate, in particular the Yellowfin Tuna (YFT).
The MedFish4Ever Declaration, initiated by the European Commission and adopted in March 2017, created a new governance of the Mediterranean fisheries and aquaculture, bringing, for the first time, joint political commitment of the riparian countries to implement a concrete roadmap in the coming 10 years.
Today, the EU and Cape Verde signed a new protocol to implement the Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreement (SFPA).
The 7th annual meeting of the Commission of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), hosted by the European Union in The Hague, The Netherlands, concluded with good progress made on fisheries issues, compliance and the fight against IUU fishing.
Last week’s annual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) adopted an important and binding measure to reduce the risk of entanglement from FADs by 2020. FADs, or “fish aggregating devices”, are floating fishing gear mainly used for tuna fishing. However, they also attract other species, including various kinds of pelagic shark. The new measure to avoid such by-catches was adopted at the proposal of the European Union.
The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) gathered for its annual meeting in London from 13 to 16 November 2018. During the meeting, the EU and the other contracting parties agreed on a number of conservation and management measures for 2019, covering several fish stocks (including blue whiting, Atlanto-Scandian herring, mackerel, redfish in the Irminger Sea, spurdog and Rockall haddock).
Last Friday, the EU and The Republic of The Gambia concluded a new Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreement (SFPA) protocol, 22 years after the previous protocol expired. Both parties welcome the start of a new cooperation period in the fisheries sector.
Read the statement of Commissioner Vella following the Agrifish council which dealt with fishing opportunities in the Baltic sea
Last Friday, the EU and Cape Verde agreed to renew the current Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreement (SFPA) protocol, which expires at the end of the year. The outcome of the negotiations is a balanced deal, profitable to both parties.
The European Union participated in the 40th meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation in Tallinn from 17 to 21 September 2018.
The European Union participates in the annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), taking place in Tallinn, 17 to 21 September 2018.
The Fifth Meeting of the Parties of the South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) was held from 25-29 June in Phuket, Thailand. Parties, including the European Union, achieved significant progress on many fronts that will strengthen the organisation and help ensure the sustainable use of fish stocks in the South Indian Ocean.
During its 35th Annual Meeting held in Portland, Maine (USA), on 12 and 15 June 2018, the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) adopted new regulatory measures for salmon fisheries around the Faroe Islands and off West Greenland.
