Brussels, 19/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 19 May, the Council adopted, without debate, the text of the inter-institutional agreement on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement Area. Second reading agreement could be reached very shortly, before formal adoption of the regulation.
The European Union along with Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Malta, Romania and Slovenia are the contracting parties to the GFCM agreement. The GFCM adopted measures which have to be incorporated into EU law.
Harvesting of red coral. The harvesting of red coral is prohibited at depths of less than 50 metres until the GFCM indicates otherwise. For the harvesting of red coral, the only permitted gear is a hammer used in scuba diving by fishermen who are authorised or recognised by the competent national authority. The use of remotely operated under-water vehicles (ROVs) for the exploitation of red coral is not allowed.
By way of derogation, the use of ROVs that have been authorised by a member state prior to 30 September 2011 for the purpose of observation and prospection will continue to be permitted in zones under the jurisdiction of that member state, provided that the ROVs concerned cannot be equipped with manipulator arms or any other device allowing the cutting and harvesting of red coral. All such authorisations will expire or be withdrawn by 31 December 2015, unless the member state concerned has obtained scientific results showing that the use of ROVs beyond 2015 would have no negative impact on the sustainable exploitation of red coral.
Release of protected species. Masters of fishing vessels must promptly release any seabirds incidentally caught in fishing gear. Specimens of sea turtles incidentally taken in fishing gears are to be safely handled and released unharmed and alive, “to the extent that this is possible”, the text states. As far as is possible, fishing vessels using purse seines for small pelagic species or surrounding nets without purse line for pelagic species shall avoid encircling sea turtles. Masters of fishing vessels shall not take on board, tranship and land monk seals, unless this is required to rescue and to secure assistance for the recovery of harmed individual animals and provided that the competent national authorities concerned have been duly and officially informed prior to returning to port. Specimens of monk seals incidentally caught in fishing gears are to be released unharmed and alive. Fishing vessels must promptly return to the sea unharmed and alive, to the extent practicable, any cetaceans incidentally caught in fishing gears.
Sharks and rays belonging to species which are included in Annex II to the protocol concerning specially protected areas and biological diversity in the Mediterranean (Protocol to the Barcelona Convention) must not be retained on board, transhipped, landed, transferred, stored, sold or displayed or offered for sale.
Recording obligations. Fishing vessels authorised to harvest red coral must have on board a logbook in which are reported the daily catches of red coral and fishing activity by area and depths, including the number of fishing days and diving. That information must be communicated to the competent national authorities.
Masters of fishing vessels must record the following information in their fishing logbooks: any incidental catch and release of seabirds; any incidental catch and release of sea turtles; any incidental catch and release of monk seals; any incidental catch and release of cetaceans; any incidental catch and, where required, release of sharks and rays of the species listed in Annex II or in Annex III to the Protocol to the Barcelona Convention. In addition, national reports intended to be analysed by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) should contain additional information in the event of any accidental catch of sea turtle or cetaceans.
The text provides, too, for management measures for fisheries targeting small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic Sea. These measures relate to management of fishing capacity.
Delegated acts. To ensure that the derogations that could be adopted by the Commission by means of delegated acts in line with Article 290 of the treaty with regard to the management of red coral harvesting are properly adapted to specific regional characteristics, member states that have a direct interest in the management of red coral should be able to submit joint recommendations within the context of the adoption of the aforementioned delegated acts. (Lionel Changeur)