Brussels, 21/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 21 February, the Council of Ministers of the EU adopted, without debate, a regulation which will reduce administrative formalities for businesses in the aquaculture sector. The text adopted (following the European Parliament opinion of 23 November 2010) revises Regulation 708/2007 on the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture.
Council Regulation 708/2007 establishes a framework governing aquaculture practices in relation to alien and locally absent species in order to assess and minimise the possible impact of those species and of associated non-target species on aquatic habitats. It provides that, on the basis of new scientific information and advice, introductions and translocations for use in closed aquaculture facilities may, at a future date, be exempted from the permit requirement of Chapter III of the regulation.
The amendments to the regulation are based on the findings of the IMPASSE project, a concerted initiative focusing on environmental impacts of alien species in aquaculture. This project has produced an operational definition of a closed aquatic facility, tightening up and enlarging upon the definition currently in use, embodying an approach whereby “the degree of risk associated with alien species could be reduced considerably, possibly to an acceptable level, if the potential for escape of target and non-target organisms is addressed during transport and by well-defined protocols at the receiving facility”.
Given this, the regulation will mean that introductions and translocations involving the use of closed aquaculture facilities will be exempted from the permit requirement.
The regulation requests member states to draw up a list of closed aquaculture facilities within their borders. This list will be periodically updated and published on an internet site. (L.C./transl.rt)