CSOs comment on access conditions for EU fleets fishing outside FPAs

One issue CFFA and other NGOs insisted on in the context of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, was the need for the EU to ensure all its external fleets respect similar sustainability conditions, including those fishing outside FPAs and RFMOs. Such concern was taken into account in the reformed basic regulation, and the process is now advancing a step further with the revision of the Fishing Authorisations regulation (FAR). Prior to the publication of its review proposal, the EC has organised a consultation, for which Civil Society organisations active in the Long Distance Regional Advisory Committee (LDRAC) have sent joint preliminary comments 

 8 organisations, including NGOs (Bread For the World, CFFA, Danish Living Seas, Oceana, Seas At Risk, SSNC, WWF) and the trade union ETF insisted that the FAR should ensure that key sustainability rules agreed in the reformed CFP, - in particular the restoration of marine biological resources-, and those specified in binding international agreements, are implemented for all EU flagged vessels fishing outside EU waters. These organisations then make comments and proposals to address, in the FAR review process, the following specific issues: 

• Abusive reflagging:

• The lack of transparency in private arrangements:

• The need to ensure that social legislation is properly applied:

• The need to monitor private arrangements

• Coherence and compliance with Control Regulation, IUU Regulation and Regulation on countries allowing unsustainable fishing

Read the full preliminary comments by the NGOs of the Fishing Authorizations Regulation

The European Parliament ambitious for the future EU fisheries relations with third countries

 The European parliament voted on February 6th 2013 on its report concerning the future CFP legislation (the ‘basic regulation’). The final report was supported by an important majority of parliamentarians (502 in favor; 137 against – a qualified majority is 377). This means that the Parliament is in a relatively strong position to now go and discuss with the Council and EC to get a final agreement about what the future fisheries policy will look like.

In a briefing note, CFFA highlights the elements of the report that will affect the future EU fisheries relations with third countries, whether they are related to future Sustainable Fishing Agreements (SFAs), fishing operations taking place under RFOs or outside the framework of SFAs and RFOs. Important progress are also registered in terms of good governance, transparency in particular.

NGOs’ briefing on CFP reform to be discussed in plenary session in the Parliament on February the 5th

With regards to the plenary vote on the future CFP Basic regulation, which will take place on February the 5th, the consolidated version of the ‘Rodust report’, as adopted by the European Parliament Fisheries committee, made some amendments to the Commission’s proposition. NGOs concerned made a briefing ‘Overfishing: you can end it!’ regarding this report and the future vote, highlighting elements to support, strengthen and reject (see briefing in joint document). CFFA wishes to insist on elements regarding external dimension.

MEPs should support: 

• The promotion of sustainable fisheries in external fisheries, as it is promoted in internal fisheries. 

• The discard ban, to be implemented in external fisheries by January 2017. The discard ban in these fisheries shouldn’t lead to massive dumping of fish by EU vessels in developing countries. Like it is the case for internal waters, the priority should be given to measures that help avoid unwanted catches in the first place. 

• The reference made to Aarhus Convention for accessing information as a very important element in terms of transparency + SFAs evaluations should be made public. 

• Also, measures to be taken, in the Common Market Organization regulation, so that internationally recognized social and environmental standards are applied to imports. 

• Improved measures related to SFAs such as an exclusivity clause to be introduced in SFAs, a human rights conditionality, the financial compensation to be used for development purpose, etc. 

• There are also several amendments supporting small scale fisheries which could be also promoted at the external level.

However, there are some issues needing further input in the basic regulation, which should be improved and then supported: 

• The need to take into account developing countries nutritional needs. Reference to article 62 (2) and 62 (3) – referring to art. 70 – of UNCLOS, which highlight this issue should be made. 

• Regarding stakeholders participation, nothing is proposed concretely for the external dimension. A new amendment 167 bis, should be added, which would call for : Delegations from the European Parliament and the Advisory Councils shall be present when SFA are negotiated. 

• Several articles deal with the covering of activities outside the scope of SFAs and RFMOs. However, what is proposed is not sufficient enough. It should be insisted on the fact that those good intentions (that EU vessels fishing outside SFAs/RFMOs must follow the same sustainability principles) will have to be adequately reflected in the conditions made for fishing authorizations (regulation 1006/2008).

At last, one element should be rejected: 

• Providing fishing opportunities for a recreational sector that opposes to be regulated under CFP should not be an objective

More information:

Read the NGOs joint position.

Protocol to the EU-Mauritania FPA: CFFA requests that the Parliament supports the text

Together with Mauritanian partners from the civil society and fishing communities, CFFA is mainly concerned about the environmental sustainability, the support to local fishing communities and the governance aspects of the FPA protocol proposed.

Based on the analysis of the protocol by partners during a round table discussion held in Nouakchott last October, CFFA feels the protocol that has been negotiated should be supported by the Parliament, as it largely answers many of those concerns:

• The principle of access to surplus is respected, particularly for the octopus, which is a strategic resource for Mauritanian artisanal fishermen; 

• The new zoning, pushing the trawlers away from the coast, will better protect ecosystems and local fishing activities; 

• The obligation to land the catches locally will give a boost to onshore activities, and related job creation 

• The new basis for calculation of access will ensure there is a better idea about what is caught 

• The possibilities for opening up the attendance of the Joint committee to stakeholders representatives will help improve transparency and participation

Some EU vessels have started fishing under the new proposed protocol, but most European fleets involved in Mauritania do not agree with the technical conditions and/or the financial conditions provided by the protocol, and are proposing to reject the agreeement, a position that is followed by the EP rapporteur in its proposed report http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetd...

CFFA feels there is sufficient scope in the terms of the protocol, – in particular provisions for the Joint Committee and its mandate-, to accomodate EU sector’s concerns, provided those concerns are in line with sustainable fisheries, local development needs and good governance.

The representative of the Mauritanian artisanal fishermen, Mr Sid’ahmed Abeid, will give his views at the hearing next Monday. The debate can be followed live, between 3 PM and 5 PM, on http://www.europarl.europa.eu/commi... (click on ‘Today’s broadcasts’)

Senegal: results from the workshop on the national authorization for the export of fisheries products to the EU

The Association for the promotion of actors of small scale fisheries of Mbour (APRAPAM), in the framework of its mission, regularly organizes information, awareness and education sessions. On December the 18th 2012, in partnership with the Directorate of industries and processing of fisheries (DITP) and the network of journalists of Mbour for fisheries and environment (RJMPE), APRAPAM organized a workshop Senegal’s national authorization for the export of fisheries products in the EU.

Exports to EU market are subjected to an agreement. The agreement, obtained by Senegal in May 1996, 2nd West and Northern African country endowed with one after Morocco, is subjected to 3 years evaluations by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU (1999, 2004, 2007, 2010). The delivery of the export authorization to the EU is based on the principle of equivalence of inspection systems and of sanitary control of fisheries products. It relies on authority transfer in terms of certification and authorization delivered by the EU to the Senegalese competent authority (DITP), which allows local industrial units authorized by the Authority to export their certified production on European markets.

Senegal’s authorization is the result of an improvement process of hygiene and sanitary conditions of fisheries products aimed at human consumption, mainly in the small scale fisheries sub sector. Many elements helped to obtain this result (appropriate facilities, competent monitoring and control services, education of agents, regulation, etc.).

The goal of this meeting was to think over the conditions favoring the improvement of the conditions and means of sustainability of these laurels. Challenges relate to governance of the sector and sustainable management of the resource, fish trade globalization, traceability of products and IUU fishing.

Adopted recommendations highlight, for the Senegalese part, for example participatory surveillance, involvement of industrials in the whole control process and the automatic registration of pirogues and for the EU part, she should support more developing countries to invest in a proper manner in monitoring, control and surveillance mechanisms and traceability. She should also insist on developing countries on the necessity to share data on vessels authorized to fish in their waters. At last, fisheries local sector should be more involved in order to have a smoother implementation of the IUU regulation.

This local event brought together about sixty participants, public and private actors and civil society from Mbour, one of the fisheries production centers of Senegal. Adopted conclusions are applicable for all Senegal. What is interesting is that they integrated in matters linked to authorization, not only sanitary aspects (conservation means on board, etc.), monitoring control and surveillance means of fisheries (traceability, control operations, etc.) but also questions linked to IUU fishing ((registration of pirogues, illegal licenses, etc.)

More information:

See the following link (in French):http://www.aprapam.org/2012/12/15/j... 

And the full report of the meeting (in French) : http://www.aprapam.org/wp-content/u...