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THE Marine and Fisheries Agency in the UK has warned that it will rigidly enforce the new EU regulations on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing which came into force a few weeks ago. The agency says it is implementing the regulations in close collaboration with other government agencies and it hopes to set up a London based IUU office at Billingsgate Market.
The MFA says IUU fishing ruthlessly ignores fish conservation measures - often in parts of the world where fisheries enforcement is weak – and commonly at the expense of impoverished local fishermen. The EU is the largest market for fish and importer of fishery products with trading partners across the world. But it is estimated that 1.1 billion euros worth of IUU products are imported every year.
The main changes will see all the fish that lands on the EU market certified so that individual fish can be identified and tracked to its origin. A comprehensive catch certification scheme will ensure the fish caught, landed, brought to the market and sold can be tracked at any stage of the process from net to plate. Modern technology will be used to keep tabs on fisheries products through every step of the market chain.
Prior to the new rules, the punishment for any violation differed from one country to another.From now on, the same offence will be subject to the same sanction, wherever it takes place and whatever the fisherman's nationality or flag. A point system for serious infringements can ultimately result in wrongdoers losing their licence to fish. Fishermen from the 27 member states have to abide by new rules aimed at ensuring that no illegally-caught fish end up on the market across the EU
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
