The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report by Linnaeus ENGSTRÖM (Greens/EFA, SE) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention Area of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO).
As a reminder, the Commission’s proposal aims to transpose the 15 Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) adopted by the SPRFMO to date, covering a range of matters from IUU fishing to measures to reduce seabird mortality and exploratory fishing.
The committee recommended that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal.
The main amendments seek to:
- change the definition of ‘SPRFMO Convention Area’ by indicating that it means the geographical area marked out in Article 5 of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean;
- modify the definition of ‘fishing vessel’ to adopt the definition set out in the SPRFMO Convention;
- prohibit the use of large-scale pelagic driftnets and all deepwater gillnets throughout the SPRFMO Convention Area. Flag Member States whose vessels seek to transit the SPRFMO Convention Area with gillnets on board shall ensure their vessels operate a vessel monitoring system (VMS) polling once every two hours while in the SPRFMO Convention Area;
- provide that Member States shall use transparent and objective criteria, including those of an environmental, social and economic nature when allocating the fishing opportunities for jack mackerel stocks available to them.
Members stressed that when implementing the conservation and management measures adopted by SPRFMO, the Union and Member States should endeavour to promote coastal fishing activities and the use of fishing gear and techniques which are selective and have a reduced environmental impact.