A European Commission report on the implementation and evaluation of Regulation (1224/2009 establishing a control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common fisheries policy (CFP), published on Monday 24 April, says that the regulation has proved useful but improvements have been called for by stakeholders, particularly with regard to product traceability and the ending of discards at sea.
This legal instrument is seen by stakeholders as one of the main tools for achieving the objectives of the CFP and ensuring that conservation and management measures are enforced. Member states have generally implemented the main provisions of the control regulation. The evaluation confirmed that, “while it is indisputable that the Control Regulation contributed to improving the fisheries control system and to step up compliance with the CFP, the current legislative framework is not entirely fit for purpose”, the report states. There is a strong call from stakeholders to better adapt the control system to the new CFP addressing, in particular, the landing obligation and increased synergies with other policies, such as environment and market.
Traceability system criticised. The traceability of fisheries products across member states is a concern. The report notes that there are still issues with control at first sales and during transport. Key problems relate to loss of traceability in those two steps of the production chain, where consignments might be put on the market without preliminary control of their origin. Control authorities believe that the current framework for the control of weighing and transport gives room for misreporting, the paper-based traceability system imposed by the regulation not being considered effective. Consequently, some member states are, on a voluntary basis, developing electronic traceability systems but the different approaches taken at national level hinder data exchange, cross checks and validation.
The report states that the specific rules applying to vessels of less than 12 metres “are considered not fully suitable”. Member states are not properly implementing the control of the activities of vessels less than 10 metres in length, which are currently exempt from keeping a logbook, (for example, control by sampling at the time of landing), the Commission points out. In the Mediterranean Sea, where more than 80% of the vessels are small, this is an issue that the current control regulation does not appropriately address.
The lack of control provisions relating to recreational fisheries is also “felt as hindering the level playing field” and considered necessary by citizens and the majority of relevant stakeholders. Lastly, a large number of stakeholders expressed concern over monitoring of the landing obligation (ending of discards). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)