Activities of Julie GIRLING related to 2011/0364(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003 on the removal of fins of sharks on board vessels
Amendments (9)
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Fish belonging to the taxon Elasmobranchii, including sharks, skates and rays are generally very vulnerable to overexploitation due to their life cycle characteristics of slow growth, late maturity and small number of young. In recent years, some shark populations have been severely targeted, including by EU flagged vessels operating in EU and non- EU waters, and put under serious threat as a result of a dramatic increase in demand for shark products,fins in particular.
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) Current scientific knowledge, based on the examination of shark catch rates, indicates that many stocks of sharks are under serious threat. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 25 % of all pelagic shark species, of which over 50 % are large oceanic-pelagic sharks, are threatened. In recent years, the capture, retention, transhipment, or landing of a growing number of shark species has been prohibited under Union law or in the framework of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, including of sharks whose fins are highly valuable in trade.
Amendment 18 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 b (new)
Recital 2 b (new)
(2b) Blue shark (Priconace glauca) and shortfin mako (Isuras oxyrinchus), classified by the IUCN as "near- threatened" and "vulnerable" respectively, are currently the predominant species captured by the European fleet, with blue shark accounting for circa 70 % of the total of reported shark landings. Other species, however, including hammerhead and silky sharks, are also subject to capture in EU and non-EU waters and contribute to the economic viability of fisheries.
Amendment 19 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003 allows Member States to issue special fishing permits allowing processing on board, whereby shark fins can be removed from the bodies. In order to ensure the correspondence between the weight of fins and bodies, a ‘'fin-to-carcass’' ratio is established, however, following processing ope. Serious control and enforcement difficulties occur with the use of 'fin-to-carcass' ratio systems. Such systems do not eliminate the practions, fce of high-gradinsg and bodies can be landed in different ports. In such cas, due to differences in fin cutting techniques and variability of the fin size and weight of different shark species, the use of the ratio becomes ineffective and gives scope for shark finning to occury could allow finning to occur without being detected. Following processing operations, fins and bodies can be landed in different ports. Under these circumstances, the collection of data, e.g;. species identification, populations structure, underpinning scientific advice for the establishment of fisheries conservation and management measures, is hampered.
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Regional Fisheries Management Organisations are increasingly addressing the issue of shark finning and their scientific bodies are showing preference for the landing of sharks with their fins naturally attached to the body. The annual Resolutions on sustainable fisheries issued by United Nations General Assembly since 2007, the 2008 IUCN's Global Policy against shark finning and the 2010 meeting of the Fish Stocks Agreement Review Conference have called upon nations to take measures to require that all sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached.
Amendment 21 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) InThe 2010-2011, as part of the required i1 Impact aAssessment exercise,conducted by the European Commission held a public consultation in order to gather information on the most appropriate manner in which Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003 should be amended. The conclusion of the impact assessment is that the Regulation shconcluded that abolishing special fishing permits would, where operators are compliant, have no significant negative economic impact and, where fleets are compliant, have no significant negative social impact. That impact assessment also concluded that abolishing special fishing permits would be amendexpected sto that all sharks must be landed with their fins still attached. It is necessary and appropriate for the achievement of the basic objectivve a positive impact on shark conservation in the mid to long term; facilitate and significantly simplify control and enforcement and virtually eliminate uncertainty with regard to compliance; significantly enhance data collection. It would also simplify rules and their implementation. The impact assessment, based on the outcome of the public conservultation of shark stocks, and in view of the outcome of the public consultation,held by the European Commission in 2010-2011, and after taking into account the number of infractions reported since 2003, recommends that all sharks must be landed with their fins still attached. It is therefore necessary and appropriate to amend Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003 accordingly;.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 5
Article 1 – point 5
2003/1185/EC
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Where fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State catch, retain on -board, tranship or land sharks, the flag Member State shall, in accordance with Regulations (EC) Nº 1224/2009 establishing a community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy and (EU) Nº 404/2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of the above regulation, send to the Commission, by 1 May at the latest, a comprehensive annual report on the implementation of this Regulation during the previous year. The report shall describe the monitoring of compliance with the Regulation of vessels within the RegulationEU and non-EU waters, and the enforcement measures taken by Member States in cases of non-compliance. In particular, the following information shall be provided:
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 5
Article 1 – point 5
2003/1185/EC
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
– The number and nature of cases of non- compliance detected, including a full identification of the vessel(s) involved and the penalty applied for each case of non- compliance.
Amendment 27 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 5
Article 1 – point 5
2003/1185/EC
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – indent 3a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – indent 3a (new)
- the total landings by species (weight/number) and by port;