Three Spanish Tuna Longliners Sanctioned For Unreported Catches ff

Source: Faro de Vigo

The Mozambique Ministry of Fishery has sanctioned three Spanish tuna longliners which were accused of violating the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mozambique.

Since early this year, the three Spanish flagged vessels, owned by the fishing company ORPAGU (Organization of Longliners of La Guardia), “Alexia”, “O Covelo” and “Zumaya Dous”, have been operating in the southern part of the Mozambican EEZ. They target species under the mandate of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna, swordfish, blue sharks and shortfin mako.

Under the Mozambican fisheries legislation, fishing vessels are obliged to provide detailed data on catch aboard the vessel to the competent authority upon and entry and exit of the EEZ. Failure to declare catch is considered to be a serious infraction.

The protocol of the FPA between the EU and Mozambique also governs the specific conditions relating to these reports, as follows: “Community vessels shall notify, at least three hours in advance, the competent Mozambican authorities responsible for monitoring fishing of their intention to enter or leave Mozambique’s fishing zone and declare overall quantities and species on board.”

The investigation carried out by the General Directorate of Fisheries found that the three vessels were not reporting catch on board when entering and exiting the Mozambican EEZ. Between January and May 2010, the investigation counted 14 entry/exit reports without any catch declaration, which constitutes an infringement of both the Mozambican fisheries law and the provisions of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement signed in 2007 between the EU and the Republic of Mozambique.

The three vessels of the company ORPAGU have been notified for failure to report catch to the competent authority as specified in the law.

Once the fine and the accessory sanctions are pronounced by the Minister of Fisheries, the company has eight days to pay the fine. The Mozambican law makes provision for accessory sanctions ranging from seizure of the catch to cancellation of the fishing license.