EU fisheries controls: more efforts needed
More efforts are needed if the EU is to have an effective fisheries control system in place, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. The auditors say that Member States and the European Commission have made progress over the last decade; however, the EU does not yet have a sufficiently effective system of fisheries controls to support the Common Fisheries Policy.
The auditors visited four Member States: Spain, France, Italy and the UK (Scotland). None of the four had sufficiently verified the accuracy of their fishing fleets' capacity or the information on the vessels in their fleet registers. None had verified the tonnage of their fishing vessels, and two had not verified engine power. Additionally, the auditors found significant discrepancies between vessel details in the fleet register and those in supporting documents.
Overall, say the auditors, the Member States examined were implementing fisheries management measures adequately. Satellite-based vessel tracking systems provided powerful information for monitoring and controlling fishing activities. But as a result of exemptions provided by the Control Regulation, 89% of the EU fleet was not monitored, which hindered effective management in some fisheries and for some species.
“Member States have not yet fully implemented the EU’s fisheries control regulation,” said Mr Janusz Wojciechowski, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report, “and some of the regulations need modifying if Member States are to control their fisheries effectively.”
Press Release: EU fisheries controls: more efforts needed, say Auditors
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Special Report No 08/2017: EU fisheries controls: more efforts needed