International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT): amendments to the management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention Area
The European Parliament adopted by 568 votes to 44, with 14 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and Regulation (EU) …/2022 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) conservation and enforcement recommendations were last implemented into Union law through Regulations (EU) 2017/2107, (EU) 2023/2053 and (EU) 2023/2833 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Since the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2017/2107, ICCAT adopted at its 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 annual meetings a number of legally binding measures for the conservation of fishery resources under its purview. Those measures concern matters covered, inter alia, by Regulations (EU) 2017/2107 and (EU) 2023/2053.
Amendments were made to Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 in order to implement into Union law ICCAT measures for tropical tunas, Mediterranean albacore, North and South Atlantic albacore, North and South Atlantic swordfish, North and South Atlantic shortfin mako sharks, blue marlin, white marlin, roundscale spearfish, and provisions related to data collection for sailfish, data collection and reporting for billfish, blue marlin, white marlin and roundscale spearfish, by-catch of turtles, the vessel monitoring system, ICCAT regional observers, responsibilities of scientific observers and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as an updated list of ICCAT species, updated safe handling and release practices for sea turtles, the introduction of minimum standards for safe handling and live release procedures for North and South Atlantic shortfin mako sharks, and guidelines for reducing the ecological impact of fish-aggregating devices (FADs).
The amended text also amends Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 in order to implement into Union law ICCAT measures for bluefin tuna management with provisions related to definitions, quota transfers, retention prohibition, recreational fisheries, vessel lists, lists of traps and farms, ICCAT record of farms, reporting, transfers, transfer authorisations, caging identifiers, caging authorisations, caging operations and their video monitoring, control of caging, harvesting operations, harvesting control activities in the farms after caging, and enforcement, as well as national observer programmes and ICCAT regional observer programme, rules on treatment of dead or lost fish, the procedure for sealing operations of transport cages, and the template for processing declaration and harvesting declaration.
The Commission will be empowered to amend Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 by means of delegated acts in accordance with subsequent amendments adopted by ICCAT. The delegated acts provided for in this Regulation are without prejudice to the implementation of future ICCAT recommendations into Union law through the ordinary legislative procedure.