Reduction In Med Bluefin Violationsff

Source: El Faro de Vigo

The Community Fisheries Control Agency this year has detected 32 possible breaches of bluefin tuna fisheries that could lead to sanctions, according to the executive director of the Agency, Pascal Savouret.

The agency’s research is part of their joint deployment plan, which has already performed over 340 inspections on bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean and in the Eastern Atlantic.

He explained that the agency “is not responsible for the enforcement of the rule but it is the responsibility of the Member States to investigate these cases in which there may not have been compliance and to determine whether it is possible to consider criminal or administrative sanctions.”

Savouret said that the number of inspections “has remained constant” for the reduction in the number of vessels established by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in 2009, while the number of offenses “has been reduced”.

Therefore, Savouret indicated that based on the proportion of violations per inspection, it has been stated that there has been a reduction “of 15 percent to 9 percent.” He added that over 30 percent of the alleged violations are related to the declaration of catches.

Concerning the situation of bluefin tuna as a fishery resource, Savouret said that in the autumn, it is expected to hold two meetings of the ICCAT Scientific Committee, in which they will analyze the recommendation to “reconsider” the existing recovery plan.

“It’s a very critical year for bluefin tuna, given this review is carried out every two years”.  Savouret pointed out.