Brussels, 03/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 3 May in Brussels, the European Association of Mediterranean Tuna Seiners protested against the “many discriminatory elements” in the draft regulation on implementing bluefin restocking measures in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean. European fisheries ministers have been called on to speak on this proposal on Monday 7 May (EUROPE 9417).
This association considers that it is “incomprehensible and unacceptable” that the European Commission (which has only taken up the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna's decisions of 26 November 2006: Ed) is proposing “discriminatory and incoherent” measures, such as the four weights minimum for unloading this species from fishing gear (6.4kg, 8kg, 10kg and 30kg).
Seiners are pointing out that the current minimum weight is 10kg in the Mediterranean and that the derogation granted to pole and line vessels for 8kg “is contrary to the logic of sustainable development”. They consider that it is “difficult to see any coherency between a disaster plan and allowing certain fleet segments to catch juveniles from a stock that is said to be on the verge of collapse”. The association also criticises the Commission for not having taken into account the socio-economic interests of seiners and Community longliners into consideration which “have to bear the brunt of this restructuring alone”. Mediterranean seiners are also demanding a brake on the increasing number of trap nets (a fishing technique using a single massive net) at the mouth of the Mediterranean and restricting the building of new boats in third countries. Seiners claim that the “control” section in the restocking plan “is a form of harassment”.
Fisheries organisations say that, in the context of quotas, they have repeatedly requested that the Mediterranean should not have its income taken away from it, and that fishing opportunities should be reduced for non-Mediterranean countries instead, such as Asian countries which “fish in complete impunity and without any inspections being carried out into their activities at all”. The association notes that 25 Asian surface longliners (approximately 60 metres in size) can currently be found in Algerian waters as part of the 2007 fishing year. (lc)