The new rules on monitoring fishing operations in the EU came into force on Tuesday 9 January (see EUROPE 13291/34).
The European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said that the revised system ensures “better protection of our precious marine resources and better enforcement of fisheries control rules throughout the chain, from net to plate” (https://aeur.eu/f/aas ).
Monitoring of fishing activities will be fully digitised by gradually extending geolocation and electronic reporting to all fishing vessels, whatever their size, and by making it compulsory to record and report catches in certain recreational fisheries. For the first time, full digital traceability will be mandatory throughout the supply chain, enabling the authorities to combat illegal fishing more effectively. The system will be compulsory for fresh, frozen and aquaculture products, and will gradually be extended to processed fishery products, such as canned goods. These rules will apply to all fishery products, including imported products.
The new rules include obligations for remote electronic monitoring (with on-board cameras) for fishing vessels over 18 metres that present a high risk of not complying with the end of discards at sea. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)