Brussels, 04/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg will present the Community action plan for the conservation and management of sharks on Thursday. There has been a sharp rise in shark fishing since the mid-1980s, because of the increased demand for shark-based products, in particular the fins, but also the flesh, skin and cartilage on the Asian markets. Between 1984 and 2004, catches of shark worldwide rose from 600,000 to over 810,000 metric tonnes.
The Commission believes it is necessary to strengthen the range of existing measures in order to allow many stocks that have been weakened by EU member states' fleets in community and international waters to recover. The Community, given its commitment to sustainable fishing and its standing on the international scene, has also to play a driving role in the drafting of policies for the sustainable fishing of cartilaginous fish (shark, skate, ray and chimaera).
Borg's staff estimate that some 56,000 tonnes of elasmobranchii, mainly skate, ray and small demersal shark, are caught by EU vessels in the Northern Atlantic (catches of large pelagic shark are relatively small). In the central Atlantic, surface longliners record a high rate of shark catches (68%) compared with the catch rate of the declared target species - swordfish and tuna (30%). Shark catches are of the order of 31,000 tonnes per annum. The main species caught are the blue shark (Prionace glauca) and the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), with blue shark alone accounting for 75% of all shark catches.
Council regulation 1185/2003 bans the practice of finning - cutting off sharks' fins then throwing the fish back into the water. The regulation states that weight of the fins kept from the catch shall never exceed the theoretical weight of the fins that would correspond to the remaining parts of sharks retained on board, transhipped or landed. But there are many exemptions.
The action plan provides for two types of measure.
Increasing knowledge of the fishery and species of shark. Among the measures proposed are: - increased investment for data gathering on sharks, landing sites and by processing and marketing sectors; - setting up a system that will allow information on catches, by species and by fishery, to be checked, - monitoring by on-board observers of Community fishing vessels of over 24 metres whose recent by-catches of shark make up more than 10-15% of total catches; - systematic recording, by commodity and, if possible, by species, of all landings and all commercial transactions involving shark fins, meat or oil; - monitoring of all shark catches from recreational fishing.
Ensuring that targeted shark fishing is sustainable and that by-catches of shark resulting from other types of fishing are duly regulated. The Commission proposes to: - restrict or ban fishing activities in areas considered to be sensitive for stocks that are under threat; - set catch limits applicable to stocks, using scientific advice; - in the medium to long term, ban all shark discards and require that all catches are landed (including by-catches): any sharks taken as a by-catch, which have reasonable chances of survival, should be returned to the water; - improve the selectivity of fishing gear to reduce by-catches; - setting up time-space boxes in zones where there are large numbers of immature or spawning shark, especially of vulnerable or endangered species; - improve international cooperation with a view to monitoring shark fishing and marketing; - assess the potential effect of market mechanisms on conservation measures.
The Commission intends, too, to formalise the ban on finning: removing sharks' fins on board, transhipping them or landing them will be banned. Any exception to this rule will have to be fully justified and documented before a member state can grant a special permit. The Commission proposes to review the 5% rule, requiring the weight of the fins in no circumstances to exceed 5% of the weight of the dressed (gutted and beheaded) shark catch. For those member state vessels not required to land shark with their fins attached, the Commission suggests requiring that the fins and carcasses are landed at the same time in the same port. (L.C./transl.rt)