EU determined to guarantee recovery in eastern bluefin tuna stock
Staff Writer |
The period 26th May to 24th June marks the season when purse seiners are allowed to fish for bluefin tuna, and the European Commission has reiterated its committed to fully implement international control measures for this species.
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"Ten years ago we were talking about the collapse of bluefin tuna. Thanks to the right measures, reinforced international cooperation, and efforts by all stakeholders, we are now managing a sustainable stock.
"But a sustainable fisheries means also constant surveillance, to ensure everybody plays by the rules and takes his deserved share, now and in the next years," said Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
He said that based on previous experience, a strict control and inspection programme has again been put in place. To ensure high control standards, this programme sets concrete control priorities and benchmarks.
It involves a significant deployment of inspectors, patrol vessels and aircrafts coordinated by the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and the Member States concerned. An additional patrol vessel will be chartered and deployed by EFCA in 2018.
The European Commission also monitors catches and analyses Vessel Monitoring System data (a satellite based control system) on a constant basis to ensure that all rules, and particularly the individual vessels' quotas, are fully respected.
The purse seine fleet accounts for the biggest part of the EU quota (71%).
As in previous years, particular attention is given to the control of those gears that catch the fish alive for farming purposes.
This year the number of vessels authorised to fish bluefin tuna is 1,088 vessels (of which, 58 are purse seiners) and 12 traps and the EU quota for 2018 has been set at 15,850 tonnes.
The Member States actively involved in the bluefin tuna fishery are Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus. ■