Restrictive measures adopted by MEPs to protect swordfish

by Gozo News · April 4, 2019

The European Parliament has today approved a long-term plan to tackle overfishing and to provide economic conditions for swordfish fishing in the Mediterranean, already informally agreed with EU ministers.

This long term action plan until 2031 is aimed at achieving sustainable stock levels, there will also be the establishment of technical measures.

MEPs agreed to transpose into EU legislation stronger measures to help the recovery of Mediterranean swordfish as recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICAAT).

The measures include a 14-year recovery plan that takes into account the specificities of different types of gear and fishing techniques.

The MEPs noted that even though this recommendation entered into force in 2017 and it is legally binding in the EU, the new rules would allow member states to:

issue fishing authorisations to fishing vessels targeting Mediterranean swordfish that have a record of catches;

distribute national quotas for fishing opportunities to various fleet segments, with priority to artisanal and traditional fishing;

ensure that at least 10% of vessels targeting Mediterranean swordfish have on board national scientific observers, three years after the entry in force;

submit their fishing plans to the Commission by 1 March of each year;

allocate any increase in fishing opportunities resulting from the successful implementation of this plan to vessels to which no Mediterranean swordfish quota has previously been allocated.

MEPs said that other measures such as quota (10.500 tonnes), closing period (January to March) and the derogation from the landing obligation were already integrated in EU legislation at an earlier stage.

Other technical measures established by the agreement include:

· achievement of a biomass corresponding to a maximum sustainable yield by 2031 with at least 60% probability;

· a minimum size set at less than 100cm length or at less than 11,4 kg of round weight;

· allowing 2.500 additional replacements of rigged hooks for trips longer than 2 days (not less than 7cm of height);

· prohibition of chartering for EU fishing vessels for fishing Mediterranean swordfish;

· prohibition of use of driftnets and promotion of circular hooks;

· promotion of fishing gear and techniques which are selective so as to reduce by-catches of vulnerable species;

· closing period from October to November to longline vessels

The 2016 Annual Meeting held in Vilamoura (Portugal), ICCAT adopted Recommendation 16-05, to address the situation of Mediterranean swordfish, which has been overfished over the last 30 years.

The recommendation lays down rules for the conservation, management and control of the Mediterranean stock of swordfish aiming to achieve a biomass corresponding to a maximum sustainable yield by 2031 with at least 60% probability of achieving that objective.

The agreement was adopted with 563 votes in favour, 32 against and 22 abstentions. The agreement will now go back to the Council for final adoption.

The new rules will apply on the third day following the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It will not affect the validity of any delegated act already in force.