A report by the EU IUU Fishing Coalition, published on Monday 30 June, highlights the urgent need to prepare a new generation of sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (SFPAs) between the European Union and third countries.
The coalition presents principles designed to guarantee transparency, protect local fisheries and encourage reforms to prevent IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing.
“Transparency should be prioritised to allow for informed participation of all stakeholders and ensure the sustainability of all fishing operations”, states the report. In particular, it calls for a strengthening of the transparency clause, which requires the public disclosure of fishing activities carried out by other flag states in the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of partner countries. The document also calls for greater transparency of data on fisheries resources, particularly on catches and surplus stocks.
The report also insists on strengthening the non-discrimination clause, which stipulates that all fishing vessels operating in the EEZ of a partner country should be subject to the same conditions as vessels flying the EU flag. This is to prevent foreign fleets from benefiting from more favourable conditions. The report also calls for concrete measures to prevent human rights violations and labour abuses.
Finally, the coalition is asking the European Commission to encourage reforms in future protocols to ensure that SFPAs contribute more effectively to the fight against IUU fishing.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/hmk (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)