On Thursday 23 September, the European Commission formally asked Spain and France to ensure compliance with control and enforcement on the landing obligation.
These rules were introduced in the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation [Regulation 1380/2013] and the Fisheries Control Regulation [Council Regulation 1224/2009] to stop the unsustainable practice of discarding fish at sea.
The Commission also has objections regarding compliance by Spain and France with obligations under the 2008 regulation on measures to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
“Spain and France have failed to control and enforce the obligation that all catches of species subject to catch limits and, in the Mediterranean, species subject to minimum sizes, are returned and retained on board fishing vessels and then recorded, landed and counted against quotas, where appropriate”, explains the Commission, which has sent letters of formal notice, the first stage of the infringement proceeding, to these countries. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)