The action plan focuses on the
French catch registration system in order to ensure that the data available to
national controllers is complete, reliable and timely. The development of IT
tools and the streamlining of control procedures will secure the efficiency of
the measures proposed.
The action plan was drawn up
following a European Commission audit looking into the compliance of the French
fisheries control system with the European regulation. The audit highlighted in
particular the administrative complexity, the lack of full validation and of
cross-checks of data, and insufficient exchange of control documents with other
Member States. The timeliness and accuracy of catch reporting was also
highlighted as an issue. Catch data are reported by fishermen so that the
control authorities can monitor fishing quotas and thus help to prevent
overfishing.
Strong controls for sustainable
fisheries
This action plan is the latest
step in a structured Commission approach to address deficiencies in fisheries
control. Without effective control and enforcement systems in Member States,
the Commission's ambitious sustainability goals would risk not being
achieved and the health of Europe's fish stocks would be jeopardised for
future generations. An effective control system also ensures a level playing
field for fishermen across Europe so that they know that all fishermen play by
the same rules.
Action plans are designed as to
address systemic organisational problems, while other enforcement means are
used to deal with more isolated issues. The Commission is working with Member
States individually to determine what steps need to be taken to reach those
standards. Action plans have already been adopted and put in place with Spain,
Malta, Italy, and Latvia whilst three others are in the pipeline for Portugal,
Bulgaria and Romania.
Commissioner for Maritime
Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, said: "Respect of commonly
agreed rules is an absolute necessity for sustainable fisheries. Without
effective controls and proper enforcement our Fisheries Policy rules remain
paper tigers. Member States have themselves voted the rules and I am happy that
we are making good progress in getting them correctly applied by
all."
Background
Fisheries rules and control
systems are agreed at EU level, but implemented and carried out by the national
authorities and inspectors of EU Member States.
To enforce the EU's Common
Fisheries Policy rules, there is a European control system in place, designed
to ensure that only the allowed quantities of fish are caught, to collect the
necessary data for managing fishing opportunities, and to ensure the rules are
applied to fishermen across the EU in the same manner.
The system is set out in the
EU's Control Regulation which entered into force on 1 January 2010 and
which thoroughly modernised the EU's approach to fisheries control. It
provides for a series of new instruments to assist Member States in
implementing the agreed rules, including system auditing and action plans such
as the one unveiled today for France.
Together with the EU's IUU
Regulation2 - which focuses on combatting
illegal fishing in particular when entering the EU and ensures the legality of
imported fisheries products- the Control Regulation forms a strong and
consistent control system that ensures a level playing field both for fish
caught in EU waters and imported fish.
For more
information
MEMO/14/404
Control Regulation: COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No
1224/2009
1 :
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No
1224/2009
2 :
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No
1005/2008
|