Brussels, 28/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - EU fisheries ministers reached unanimous political agreement, on Monday 27 October, on the position the EU will adopt in the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), the next meeting of which takes place in Marrakesh from 17-24 November (see yesterday's newsletter). “Time is running out to save the bluefin tuna stock from collapse,” said European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg. Through the position it has adopted ahead of the ICCAT meeting, the EU will be able to “champion bold and decisive measures, in particular, to resolve the issue of overcapacity, to reduce the length of the fishing seasons and to identify specific measures that can reinforce control throughout the market chain,” he said. The EU is ready to assume its responsibilities and to do what is needed to “ensure” that the bluefin tuna fishery is “sustainable”, and “I hope” that all ICCAT members will join with us in this “exceptional effort” at November's meeting, Borg concluded.
This is the “first common position of this kind in the Council,” commented French Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier. Going into the ICCAT negotiations, the EU will: - take account of the available scientific advice; - seek to find a balance between production capacity (fleets, cages); - seek a review of technical measures, if necessary shortening the fishing season or reviewing minimum landing sizes; - try to strengthen control, “with controls being rigorously and fairly carried out by everyone,” he said. He acknowledged that the issue of a moratorium (ban) on bluefin tuna fishing had been “discussed” and said that the Commission mandate adopted by the Council “does not rule out this possibility”, but “this is not a road that ministers would like to go down, preferring rather a move towards much more rigorous management” of the stock, with many more controls. He stressed that the increased controls to which European fishermen were prepared to be subject, had to be for “all fishermen”, including those from Turkey, Libya and Tunisia. “We have to be extremely vigilant, and even intransigent, on this point,” he stated. (L.C./transl.rt)