PURPOSE: to lay down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 laying down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species and repealing Regulation (EC) No 973/2001.

CONTENT: the Council adopted a Regulation laying down measures for the conservation of stocks of highly migratory species with a view to update and incorporate new international rules into EU law.

The purpose of the Regulation is to establish technical conservation measures, applicable to EU fishing vessels on the capture and landing of stocks of: tunas; marlins, swordfish and other highly migratory species. It will also apply to the capture of by-catches.

The Regulation updates and incorporates, into EU law, measures adopted by regional fisheries organisations to which the Commission is a contracting party. Measures include authorised sizes and weights of fish, restrictions on fishing within certain areas and time periods and the number and capacity of vessels.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 01 June 2007.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Rosa MIGUÉLEZ RAMOS (PES, ES) approving the proposed regulation, subject to a number of additional recitals referring to the risk of collapse in the bluefin tuna fishery as a result of over-fishing and recommending ways of tackling this problem.

The committee adopted the report by Rosa MIGUÉLEZ RAMOS (PES, ES) approving the proposed regulation laying down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species. It adopted a number of amendments under the consultation procedure introducing new recitals referring to the risk of collapse in the bluefin tuna fishery as a result of over-fishing and recommending ways of tackling this problem.

PURPOSE: to lay down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

CONTENT: the purpose of this Regulation is to repeal Regulation 973/2001/EC, which currently governs the technical measures for the conservation of highly migratory species and to present a new Regulation in which new measures are specified. The technical measures apply, in this case, to tuna. They have been agreed in order to ensure the sustainable exploitation of tuna and in particular to reduce catches of juveniles. The technical measures apply to Community fishermen fishing for tuna species in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The measures themselves are formulated by a number of regional fisheries organisations such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean Fisheries Commission. The provisions set out in the technical measures refer, inter alia , to the fixing of minimum sizes for fish, closed fishing areas and seasons as well as restrictions on the fishing effort. In cases where a Contracting Party has no objections to the technical measures they become binding.

Since 2001 a number of new technical measures have been adopted, which need to be incorporated into EU law. In presenting a new Regulation to govern updated technical specifications the Commission is also looking to simplify the legislative framework. For example, the new Regulation will make it possible to combine into a single Regulation all the technical measures adopted by the tuna regional fisheries organisations to which the European Community is a contracting party. Finally, the proposal has no financial implications on the Community’s budget.

PURPOSE: to lay down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

CONTENT: the purpose of this Regulation is to repeal Regulation 973/2001/EC, which currently governs the technical measures for the conservation of highly migratory species and to present a new Regulation in which new measures are specified. The technical measures apply, in this case, to tuna. They have been agreed in order to ensure the sustainable exploitation of tuna and in particular to reduce catches of juveniles. The technical measures apply to Community fishermen fishing for tuna species in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The measures themselves are formulated by a number of regional fisheries organisations such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean Fisheries Commission. The provisions set out in the technical measures refer, inter alia , to the fixing of minimum sizes for fish, closed fishing areas and seasons as well as restrictions on the fishing effort. In cases where a Contracting Party has no objections to the technical measures they become binding.

Since 2001 a number of new technical measures have been adopted, which need to be incorporated into EU law. In presenting a new Regulation to govern updated technical specifications the Commission is also looking to simplify the legislative framework. For example, the new Regulation will make it possible to combine into a single Regulation all the technical measures adopted by the tuna regional fisheries organisations to which the European Community is a contracting party. Finally, the proposal has no financial implications on the Community’s budget.