Brussels, 17/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 October, the European Commission adopted a strategy to protect marine ecosystems (underwater mounts, corals, hydrothermal vents) against damage caused by deep-sea trawling. The strategy is fully in line with the recommendations on eliminating destructive fishing practices on the high seas issued by the United Nations General Assembly in December.
In a Communication, the Commission sets out the initiatives the EU will take to strengthen international action with the United Nations, regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) and relevant international conventions with a view to protecting fragile marine habitats. For those high seas areas not covered by an RFMO (such as the South-West Atlantic), the Commission proposes to legislate (fishing permits, fishing bans at depths to over 1,000 metres). The Commission hopes the proposal will be adopted before December 2008. In 2009, the United Nations will take stock of action taken and could recommend more drastic measures.
The EU fleets which target deep-sea stocks (roundnose grenadier, roughie, blue ling, etc.) on the high seas operate mainly in the North-East Atlantic, although some activities extend southwards into the Eastern Central Atlantic. These activities are subject to Community rules (total allowable catches, restrictions on fishing effort, technical and control measures). Outside these areas, the activity of EU fleets targeting deep-sea species is relatively limited and takes place in areas under the management of RFMOs. The EU, however, has a reasonably high number of bottom trawlers in the South-West Atlantic, notably some 20 Spanish vessels fishing for hake and squid and British vessels flying the Falklands flag. Because of the long standing conflict between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, no regime for the management of stocks in this area is possible. Since there are, in these waters, corals and sponges that have to be protected from the trawls, the EU must legislate until such time as an RFMO is set up. In the Central Atlantic, too, EU vessels fish in unregulated waters.
Thus, for the waters of the Central and South Western Atlantic, the Commission is proposing a regulation which would require Community vessels using bottom gear (bottom trawls, drag nets, bottom set gillnets, pots and traps) to obtain a fishing permit from their member state. These permits would be delivered only after the member state had conducted an assessment of the possible effects of the fishing activities on the fragile marine ecosystems. The Commission proposes to ban the use of bottom gear a depths of over 1,000 metres.
Under the Commission proposal, when a vessel that is authorised to fish encounters a fragile ecosystem, it will have to cease its fishing activity immediately and move on. It will also have to inform the competent authorities of the exact location and nature of any ecosystems discovered. Member states will have to close the fishery in those areas where reliable scientific data points to the existence of vulnerable marine habitants. Vessels will be obliged to carry scientific advisers and member states will inform the Commission of catches every six months.
“We take the precautionary approach seriously. The UN Resolution represents a real regime shift which the EU promoted. Today the Commission is proposing measures that will enable the EU to put deep-sea habitats on the high seas out of bounds for destructive bottom fishing gear. The EU will continue its work with all the relevant bodies to deepen and extend knowledge of these habitats, to develop RFMOs where they don't exist yet, and to give existing ones more clout to implement effective protection measures,” said European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg. (L.C.)