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International marine conservation organisation Oceana has today presented evidence and recommendations in Brussels in its fight against illegal fishing within the European fleet. The reports presented include updated information on the use of illegal driftnets in Italy and France.
In 2007, Oceana says it identified more than 100 vessels using illegal driftnets.
Oceana presented two reports: Italian driftnets: the illegal fishing activities continue and Thonaille: the use of driftnets by the French fleet in the Mediterranean. Both reports condemn the continued use of this illegal fishing gear by the French and Italian fleets in the Mediterranean and propose measures to be adopted for its elimination, six years after these nets were banned.
During Oceanas 2007 campaign, a total of 137 vessels associated with the use of these nets were identified. In Italy's case, many of the vessels have received subsidies for conversion to other fishing methods, although they continue to use the illegal gear, Oceana claims. The documents presented by Oceana facilitate the analysis of the fleet and the causes that have led to the continued practice of this illegal activity in spite of the conversion plans, EU funding and a variety of measures adopted to avoid it.
During a press conference, Oceana stressed the current context of EU fishery policies. A new regulation is being negotiated within this framework concerning illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, as well as new measures to improve control over fishing activities in the EU. The current fishery policies have obviously failed to guarantee the application of the current legislation.
Maria Jos Cornax, marine scientist for Oceana said: When discussing illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, we tend to imagine distant fishing grounds and vessels flying flags of convenience. We dont realise that the use of driftnets constitutes an IUU fishing activity carried out by our own fleet." Regarding control measures, she added: Based on the analysis of the data obtained in the field and the causes that have led the 137 vessels to continue using this illegal fishing gear, Oceana proposes a series of recommendations applicable to the Mediterranean fleets."
Most of the measures proposed by Oceana are included within the control regime of EU fishery policies. Examples of the proposals suggested by the marine conservation organisation, whose objective is the complete elimination of the use of driftnets in the Mediterranean, include real inspections in fishing ports, real application of blue boxes or Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), the application of sanctions that are dissuasive enough to avoid the repetition of the infraction, and the returning of subsidies received in the case of fraud.
Xavier Pastor, director of Oceana Europe, concluded: The continued use of driftnets by the European fleet, six years after the ban came into effect, puts into question the whole framework of EU fishery policies, and constitutes a clear example of the immediate need to implement new control measures adapted to the reality of the fishing activities that guarantee compliance with current legislation. Source:
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