On Monday 25 January, the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries adopted all the compromise amendments on controls except the controversial amendment regarding cameras on board vessels. Compromise amendments on electronic logbooks, geolocation, traceability of lots and recreational fishing were endorsed (see EUROPE 12637/13).
The Committee on Fisheries voted on compromise amendments negotiated by rapporteur Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spain). The final vote on the proposal reforming the system of controls on fishing activities will take place on 5 February.
MEPs rejected the amendment providing that fishing vessels of 12 metres in length, which fish for species subject to the obligation (end discards), “shall be equipped with continuously recording Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems and other continuous recording electronic monitoring devices”. The other amendments on this subject will be put to the vote on 5 February. Ms Aguilera hopes to find a new inter-group compromise on CCTV before the plenary vote in March.
Surveillance. EU fishing vessels must be equipped with a fully operational device that automatically locates and identifies the vessel, via a “vessel monitoring system through transmitting automatically vessel position data at regular intervals”. Even vessels less than 12 metres in length must have on board at least “a fully functioning mobile device which allows the vessel to be automatically located and identified by a vessel monitoring system through recording and transmitting vessel position data at regular intervals”.
Logbook. The compromise amendment provides that the master of each EU fishing vessel “shall keep an electronic fishing logbook for the purpose of recording fishing activities”. Masters of artisanal fishing vessels (less than 12 metres) must keep “an electronic logbook in a simplified format”.
There are provisions for notification: masters of fishing vessels of 12 metres or more on fishing trips longer than 24 hours shall notify by electronic means the competent authorities various information “at least four hours before the estimated time of arrival at the port”.
Recreational fishing. MEPs call for a system of registration or licensing to control the number of people fishing recreationally, as well as a system of penalties for non-compliance.
With regard to traceability, it is foreseen that lots of products (fisheries/aquaculture) should be traceable at all stages of production, processing and distribution, from capture or harvest to the retail stage, including products intended for export.
Link to the compromise amendments put to the vote: http://bit.ly/3iOZxP2 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)