EC: Ready to fight IUU fishing

The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it has implemented the rules governing a new law aimed at combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The law includes a catch certification scheme ensuring full traceability of all seafood products imported into and exported from the European Union. According to the EC, the scheme will increase cooperation among countries, making it easier for them to enforce the regulations.

Additionally, the scheme strengthens port controls and introduces an alert system to detect vessels and countries involved in IUU fishing.

“IUU fishing is currently one of the most serious threats to the sustainable exploitation of marine resources,” said EC Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg.

“It jeopardizes the marine environment, the sustainability of fish stocks and marine biodiversity,” he added. “I am glad to see these implementing rules come into effect. Illegal fishing practices are simply intolerable, and we need to eradicate them inside and outside the EU market. As from 2010, the new controls will help those fishermen that play by the rules and will ensure better control and enforcement of management and conservation rules.”

The law was adopted on 29 September 2008, and will go into effect on 1 January 2010.

According to the EC, IUU fishing represents nearly 20 percent of wild fisheries production worldwide, with a value of about EUR 10 billion (USD 14.8 billion) annually. Of the 500,000 metric tons of seafood the EU imports annually, roughly 45,000 metric tons, or 10 percent, originate from illegal fishing.

In early September, the Food and Agriculture Organization announced that 91 countries agreed to sign a treaty aimed at closing fishing ports to vessels involved in IUU fishing.

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