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September 2005

Common Fisheries Policy

1. Commission sets out future policy on fisheries partnership agreements with third countries
2. Commission sets out future policy on UNCLOS and international fisheries dispute resolution matters
3. Commission clarifies policy proposals for adding value by eco-labelling of fishery products
4. The Commission announced a renewed attempt to improve management of shared stocks in the NE Atlantic
5. The EU Council extended the emergency ban on anchovy fishing in the Bay of Biscay until the end of 2005
6. Stop fishing notices were issued for Spanish, French and Portuguese vessels targeting a wide range of species
7. The European Community announced its withdrawal from the Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources in the Baltic Sea
8. The European Court judged that Belgium and Denmark broke EU fishing quota rules in the 1990s
9. Fishing effort limits in the Shetland and Plaice Boxes will be maintained pending further evaluation
10. The EU Council decided to keep measures to protect deep-water coral reefs in the Atlantic
11. Fleet segment definitions for the Community's outermost regions were amended
12. The Commission announced NAFO intention to keep the recovery plan in place for Greenland halibut
13. Council Decision on Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros
14. The Regional Advisory Council for North-Western Waters became operational
15. The EU Council passed a Regulation temporarily reducing Common Customs Tariff duties for canned, fresh and frozen tropical shrimp.

Fish hygiene

16. Twenty eight rapid alerts were announced in September for unsafe fishery products
17. The Commission published implementation guidelines for new hygiene regulations
18. Unfavorable FVO report on sanitary conditions and traceability for fish and molluscs in the United Kingdom.
19. Imports of tuna from Mauritius found to have false certificates
20. Dutch study on histamine in tuna suggests poor controls after import.
21. New measures being considered to control fish of the Gempylidae family
22. Commission indicates no option but to keep using mouse bioassay for shellfish toxin tests


Common Fisheries Policy


1. In a major speech to the European Parliament Fisheries Committee, Commissioner Borg set out the Commission's proposals for the future of fisheries partnership agreements with third countries. Recognising past problems such as a lack of transparency, inadequate control and surveillance capabilities in partner countries, over-estimation of compensation and poor catch reporting by some EU fleet segments, the Commissioner expounded the Community view that the EC's agreements provide the best guarantee of bringing about improved fisheries governance. He set out the actions being taken by the Commission to address some of the identified problems, and indicated that the EU is supporting the formation of two new regional fisheries organisations devoted to non-tuna species, in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and is investigating opportunities to conclude new Agreements with partners in Latin America and Asia.

2. In an address at the Conference of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Commissioner Borg, announced that the EU Green Paper on Maritime Policy (due to be published in early 2006) will contain proposals for a "Thematic Strategy on the Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment". This will consider jurisdictional issues in relation to international fisheries management and dispute resolution issues in areas relating to the Law of the Sea. In future ITLOS (International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea) will be the mechanism preferred by the European Community, rather than the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

3. Commissioner Borg outlined policy thinking for improving added value to EU fishery products. The Commission will be proposing a harmonised approach to eco-labelling, and will develop a set of minimum criteria for eco-labelling schemes, to be based on FAO guidelines. The proposals will also provide for independent assessment, appropriate tracking and a certification standard based on precise, objective and verifiable criteria.

4. The Commission indicated that it intends to seek improvements in the conservation of shared stocks of blue whiting and herring fisheries in the NE Atlantic, by strengthening the NEAFC. It also indicated that it is considering the introduction of a possible discard ban in some EU fisheries

5. Following scientific advice, the EU Council decided to extend the ban on fishing for anchovy in the Bay of Biscay until the end of 2005.

6. Stop fishing notices were issued for Spanish, French and Portuguese vessels targeting redfish, orange roughy, alfosinos, cod, greenland halibut and haddock.

7. The European Community announced its withdrawal from the Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources in the Baltic Sea, since most of the member countries are now EU members.

8. In two cases brought before the European Commission in the European Court judgments were awarded against Belgium and Denmark for failing to implement Community legislation with respect to fishing quotas (in the 1990s), and for allowing vessels to continue fishing when quotas had been exceeded.Co

9. The Council decided to maintain conservations measures restricting access to the so-called Shetland Box and the Plaice Box. Effort and engine power limitations will remain in place until further scientific assessment has been undertaken.

10. The EU Council passed a Regulation to keep in place measures for the protection of deep-water coral reefs from the effects of fishing, around the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands.

11. The Council amended the fleet sectors definitions for the capacity management of fishing fleets registered in the Community's outermost regions

12. At the North-west Atlantic Fisheries Organisation's annual meeting, the parties confirmed the continued implementation of the 2003 Greenland halibut recovery plan, with a reduction in total allowable catch (TAC) from 19,000 tonnes to 18,500 tonnes in 2006.

13. The EU Council ratified the protocol on the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Islamic Comoros Islands, on fishing off the Comoros for the period from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2010. The agreement will provide fishing opportunities for 40 tuna seiners and 17 surface longliners.

14. A Commission Decision announced that the Regional Advisory Council for North-Western Waters was operational from 26 September 2005.

15. The EU Council passed a Regulation temporarily reducing the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties for fresh, frozen and canned tropical shrimp products


Fish hygiene


16. Twenty eight rapid alerts were announced for unsafe fishery products, including malachite green and leucomalachite green in pangasius fillets from Vietnam, and eight cases of tuna or swordish being treated with carbon monoxide.

17. Commission proposals were published for detailed implementing rules on hygiene and official controls for the food and feed chain and were approved by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH), in preparation for the coming into force of the new hygiene package on 1 January 2006.

18. The Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission published a report following an inspection of the UK´s controls system for food safety of fishery products and bivalve molluscs. The mission found that previous recommendations had not been followed up on, and that the Food Standards Agency relied only on documentary checks to ensure that Local Authorities were fulfilling their obligations, rather than checking standards in establishments as well. The inspection found that eight out of 11 small establishments visited quite clearly did not meet the minimum hygiene requirements. The report also expressed concern over weak systems of traceability for bivalve molluscs, highlighted by a rapid alert regarding UK scallops in September 2004.

19. The Commission informed Member States of incidents regarding imports of tuna from Mauritius accompanied by false certificates. Member States are requested to increase checks and the FVO plans to inspect Mauritius in 2006.

20. The Dutch Government reported on a study of histamine in tuna. One out of 5 consignments were sampled and tested at the Border inspection post. Out of 69 samples no consignments was found positive. Checks on 225 samples from the internal market found12 positive samples.

21. The Commission indicated that it is considering measures to control food safety hazards in fish from the 'Gempylidae family (e.g. escolar) and asked Member States to indicate their position on the banning, maintaining, or labelling of such products.

22. The Commission indicated that it would like to introduce non-bioassay tests for marine biotoxins in shellfish, but that this was not possible due to the lack of reference materials. The mouse bioassay would therefore be retained at the reference method for the time being.