Brussels, 10/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - EU fisheries ministers will, on Monday 14 March, adopt conclusions on fisheries partnership agreements.
These will largely be an analysis of the findings of EU Court of Auditors Special Report No. 11/2015 on fisheries agreements with third countries.
The Council says it shares the Court's assessment that the negotiation processes and the implementation of fisheries partnership agreements are generally well managed, “while leaving room for further improvement”. The Commission is encouraged to continue the implementation of the Court's recommendations. The Council notes that some of the agreements that fell within the scope of the Court's study had been agreed before the 2013 common fisheries policy (CFP) reform. It emphasises the importance of these agreements for the economic activity of the EU's long distance fleets and for the EU and partner countries in securing a future for coastal communities, for employment and for food security.
The member states note that the issue of “dormant agreements” deserves attention and argue for efforts to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing to be stepped up. The Council notes that the concept of “surplus” (of fishery resources in the waters of third countries) is “difficult to apply in practice”, in particular when highly migratory species are involved, but stresses that the practical application of this concept can be improved. And lastly, the Council highlights the opportunity for improvement through a new regulation on sustainable management of external fishing fleets (currently under Council negotiation). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)