100 posts
Swaziland fishery laws outdated
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Experts have observed that Swaziland’s fishery laws are very outdated. The ACP Fish II Southern Africa Regional Manager, Leone Tarabusi, said fisheries in Swaziland were governed by the Protection of Fresh Water Fish Act of 1937 and regulations pro...
Cyprus Presidency reaches its basic target on fisheries
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EU Fisheries Ministers took another firm step towards the Common Fisheries policy (CFP) reform today, as they reached a partial general approach for the Legislative proposal for the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014-2020. Taking into a...
Aquaculture: a big role in terms of food security
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A major international initiative has been launched to better understand the role of aquaculture in food security in poor countries. Bringing together a global alliance of development agencies, governments and universities, the initiative will help lo...
EU-Côte d'Ivoire negotiations for a new FPA protocol ongoing
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During the course of the 3186th Council meeting, ministers adopted a decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations on behalf of the EU for a new protocol to the fisheries partnership agreement with the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire.
MS think EU-Mauritania fisheries protocol is not viable
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Following the request of the Spanish delegation, ministers were briefed by the Commission on the fisheries protocol between the EU and Mauritania that, as we informed our readers, was initialed in July this year.
EMFF to help attain CFP objectives
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During the course of the last Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries, ministers had an orientation debate on a proposal for a new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This proposal is related both to the Multiannual Financial Framework...
Ministers adopt a regulation to better protect fish stocks
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During the course of the last Council meeting on agriculture and Fisheries, ministers have adopted a regulation on certain measures in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing for the purpose of conservation of fish stocks following a f...
Towards a more sustainable fishing policy
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The European Parliament has recently adopted a report on the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources. According a recent press release by ALDE, Nils Torvalds took over the report from his predecessor, current Minister of Defence in Finland -...
Study calls for fishing ban across Europe to rebuild stocks
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Sustainable fish stocks and vast profits could be achieved by calling a temporary suspension to the catching of some of Europe's overfished species, a London-based think-tank claims...
Resolving Iceland’s mackerel war may be crucial to the country joining the EU
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In the third of three articles for EUROPP on Iceland’s EU accession process, Benjamin Leruth looks at the importance of the country’s fisheries, and the ongoing dispute or ‘mackerel war’ between the country and the EU over fishing rights. Unt...
COMMISSION, PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL TOGETHER AGAINST UNSUSTAINABLE FISHING
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Number of View: 37The European Parliament endorsed yesterday with an overwhelming majority of 659 to 11votes the proposal that the European Commission tabled in December last year, authorising the Commission to impose a range of measures against thir...
EP empowers EC to ban EU imports from overfished stocks
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The European Parliament passed new rules empowering the European Commission to ban EU imports of fish from overfished stocks. According to MEPs, bans should discourage massive overfishing of mackerel by Iceland and the Faroe Islands. In other votes,...
Reforming the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
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Fish do not recognise frontiers, so sustainable exploitation of the resources of the sea requires joint management. The EU is also a major market for fisheries and aquaculture products. A set of proposals to reform the essentials of the EU Common Fis...
REFLECTING ON THE MINISTERIAL MEETING ON MACKEREL MANAGEMENT
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Number of View: 68In an effort to come out of the deadlock, I have hosted on the 3rd of September a ministerial meeting between Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, being the four coastal parties which should commonly manage the mackerel stock in t...
Deductions of fishing quotas to address damage
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The European Commission recently announced deductions from 2012 fishing quotas of those Member States that had exceeded their quotas in 2011. Through deductions the Commission can immediately address the damage done to the stocks overfished in the...
EU Fishing Reform: Time for a 360 degrees approach – by Alice Fourrier
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On the 13th of July 2011, the EU Commission proposed a common fisheries reform that will be voted in Parliament in September 2012. Given the rapid depletion of fish resources in European waters, the reform is a much needed initiative towards sustaina...
FISHING PROTECTED AREAS IN THE AEGEAN SEA
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Number of View: 10In several meetings I recently had with fishermen, organisations and active citizens on the Aegean islands, I observed that the idea of Fishing Protected Areas is being revived. In the region of the Aegean Sea, and especially in the...
Mauritania: ensuring sustainable fisheries abroad
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Number of View: 32As I have already stated on this blog (see “A new generation of Fisheries Partnership Agreements“), our efforts for ensuring sustainability make little sense if we don’t make sure that the same commitment is taken...
EC to lead new measures for better protection for deep-sea stocks
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New measures to regulate fishing for deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic have been proposed by the European Commission, as deep sea ecosystems and the species that live in them are particularly vulnerable to human activities. The new regul...
DEEP-SEA FISHERIES: PROTECTING HABITATS AT RISK, SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE JOBS
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Number of View: 29Last week, the Commission adopted my proposal to regulate fishing for deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic and phase out those fishing gears that specifically target deep sea species in a less sustainable manner. To set this...
PECH Commiittee keen to empower EC on fish import ban
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The European Commission may receive the power to ban EU imports of fish from overfished stocks and related species, after the EP Fisheries (PECH) Committee endorsed a new deal to this effect. The agreement still needs to be endorsed by Parliament...
Steps against unsustainable fishing
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According to a recent press release by the Council of the EU, the Committee of Permanent Representatives supported the compromise text agreed by the Council and the EP for a regulation on certain measures in relation to unsustainable fishing fishi...
Rio +20 boost for EU fisheries policy reform?
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The word “sustainability” can cover a multitude of interpretations, but when it comes to fisheries policy there is no ambiguity: today’s overfishing means tomorrow’s collapsing fish stocks. Until recently the Common Fisheries Policy has...
Rio +20 boost for EU fisheries policy reform?
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The word “sustainability” can cover a multitude of interpretations, but when it comes to fisheries policy there is no ambiguity: today’s overfishing means tomorrow’s collapsing fish stocks. Until recently the Common Fisheries Policy has...
Multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna - Adoption
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The 3173rd Council meeting on Environment held in Luxembourg on 11 June 2012 adopted an amendment to regulation 302/2009 concerning a multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean following a first reading agre...
Live blogging: EU Council meeting on Fisheries of 12-13 June 2012 (night session)
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Live blogging of the night session of the EU Council meeting on Fisheries of 12-13 June 2012 based on live stream (from English interpretation provided). May contain mistakes and miss certain aspects – check against recorded video! For background...
Live blogging: EU Council meeting on Fisheries of 12 June 2012 (morning session)
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Live blogging of the morning session of the EU Council meeting on Fisheries of 12 June 2012 based on live stream (from English interpretation provided). May contain mistakes and miss certain aspects! For background see my earlier post. Previous live...
The Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy: (No) General Approach for the June Council
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On Tuesday, the EU Council on Fisheries meets in Luxembourg to discuss its general approach for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (agenda, Council background note, Presidency progress report). CFP Reform Watch has already covered the major is...
Live blogging: EU Council on Fisheries, morning session 14 May 2012
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Live blogging of the morning session of the EU Council meeting on Fisheries of 14 May 2012 (background here). May contain mistakes and miss certain aspects! 12:50 END OF LIVE BLOGGING 12:45 Danish Presidency: It is difficult to conclude after this di...
Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy: Upcoming debates in May
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The EU’s Council of Ministers is slowly approaching the decisive phase for the future Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). After two orientation debates in March and in April, the May Fisheries Council will close this round with a last debate on envi...
Can A Fictional Character Break EU Law?
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Apparently yes. Here's a peculiar story which is all over Italian media: according to Italian papers, the EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki has written a letter to the 86-year-old, famous Italian writer Andrea Camilleri complaining - somewhat...
LONDON: AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW
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The initiative of making London the first Sustainable Fish City in the world is gaining momentum, also thanks to the Sustainable Fish Forum that took place in London on 24 January. I had the chance to partake in the event, organised by the Marine Con...
Comoros islands commit to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
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A delegation of the European Commission and a delegation of the Union of Comoros met within the framework of the Joint Committee to discuss issues linked to the implementation of the Fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and the Union of...
DON’T KILL THE (GODS’) MESSENGER
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Technically, we refer to them as “cetaceans by-catch”, but the awkward feelings you get looking at the picture of a dolphin entangled in a fishing net, dead, clearly show how this definition is cold. In Greek mythology, dolphins were mess...
EU-US: A PARTNERSHIP TO ERADICATE ILLEGAL FISHING
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I am just on my way back from the United States, where I did sign a significant agreement between Europe and the US administration on putting an end to pirate fishing with Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and...
How the EU quietly empties African waters
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Making European fisheries more sustainable, stop overfishing and ban fish discards - those are the centerpieces of the new European fisheries policy. Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki presented it to the media and the European Parliament last wee...
New plans proposed to preserve EU fish populations
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By DON MELVIN BRUSSELS (AP) – Fish populations are being depleted to such an extent that Europe’s children face the prospect of a future where they’ll see fish only in pictures and not on their plates, a senior European Union offici...
War clouds threaten, and swords rattle in their sheaths, and the new Continental system is unwrapped.
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We are to go to war again, with Iceland. Richard Benyon, the landlocked farmer who represents these Isles on fisheries matters is off to Brussels tomorrow, nomibnally to fight for British fishing. He has of course used that traditional old line,Envir...
EU research achieves breakthrough as fish spawn in captivity
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EU scientists have succeeded in obtaining viable mass eggs from Atlantic bluefin tuna in captivity, using natural means and without any hormonal induction. If breeding can be developed on a commercial scale, pressure on endangered wild stocks could b...
More controls over third-party vessels
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Spain's Ministry for the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) has established controls over vessels from third-party countries to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU).
Europe in fish debt to rest of the world
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Starting last Friday (10th July), Europeans began to accumulate yet another debt -- fish debt, actually. At least that's what several economists and marine conservationists say. Their new report indicates that Europeans consume almost twice as much f...
Agricultural policy priorities of Belgian Presidency
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At the 3026th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Brussels on 12 July 2010, Ms Sabine LARUELLE and Mr Kris PEETERS gave a brief presentation on the Belgian Presidency work programme in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. The agric...
New study highlights EU dependence on fish imports
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European Union (EU) citizens are eating more fish than can be produced in EU waters and are thereby increasingly dependent on imports, according to a new report by the think tank nef (New Economics Foundation) and OCEAN2012. The study, Fish Depende...
Council Conclusions: Simplification of agriculture legislation
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The 3025th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Luxembourg on 29 June 2010 held an exchange of views on the simplification of agriculture legislation following a presentation by the Commissioners in charge of Agriculture and Rural Dev...
Council conclusions: Bluefin tuna documentation programme
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The 3025th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Luxembourg on 29 June 2010 adopted a regulation establishing a catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna, following a first reading agreement with the European Parliament under the...
Council conclusions: Reform of the CFP
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The 3025th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Luxembourg on 29 June 2010 had an exchange of views on the available policy options for the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP) following a presentation by Commissioner Damanaki.
Council conclusions: Fishing opportunities for 2011
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The 3025th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Luxembourg on 29 June 2010 has hold an exchange of views on fishing opportunities for 2011 on the basis of the Commission's communication. The communication sets out the general approac...
S&D push for more sustainable fisheries policy
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New impetus for sustainable aquaculture and fisheries policy was given today in Strasbourg, following the adoption of two reports backed by European Socialists and Democrats. "The debate on fishery seems often to be a matter of intensive fishery vs.
Fisheries, Aquaculture, Food safety, and Marine Biotechnology projects
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In FP7, marine related projects are to be found across all themes of the Specific programme COOPERATION.Theme 2: "Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnologies" plays a key role to support marine related research projects through 3 activities.
Main ACP-EU events for the week of 28th June to 2nd July 2010
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European Parliament (Brussels): - 28th June: Meeting of the Agriculture and Rural Development CommitteeEU Presidency: - 28th to 29th June (Luxembourg): Council of Agriculture and Fisheries- 1st July: Belgium takes over the Presidency of the Europea...
EU orders industrial tuna fishing ban
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In the wake of huge depletion in stocks of bluefin tuna, EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki decided on the 9th June to ban large-scale bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. The ban has already come into effect. The ban...
Main ACP-EU events for the week of 21st to 25th June 2010
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European Parliament (Brussels): - 22nd June: Hearing on the external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy- 22nd June: Commissioner De Gucht at the Committee on International Trade EU Presidency: - 24th June (Luxembourg): Council of Telecommunicat...
If I was a prawn I would be terrified
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Seafood fears as Iceland-EU talks openOf course this is pretty serious stuff. Iceland, along with Norway have maintained their fish stocks by steering well clear of the Common Fisheries Policy and it was unnerving to see the sight of French, Spanish...
Report on EU-Africa fishing agreements
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On 6 April, France's Economic, Social and Environmental Council published a report on fisheries partnership agreements (FPA) between the European Union and African states. As part of its review of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) post-2013, the Euro...
Commission seeks to get fisheries management on track in 2011
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The European Commission published recently its report launching discussions on fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2011. The document sets out how the Commission intends to act on the scientific advice it receives on the state of fish stocks when...
Something fishy?
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The European Commission website CORDIS has reported that a Study published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment finds 25% of fish on sale in Ireland are mislabelled, other types of fish being sold as cod or haddock. Similar resul...
EU vows to tackle overfishing with policy overhaul
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European Union ministers on Wednesday vowed to overhaul their 840 million euro-a-year fishing subsidies policy by next year to avoid overfishing and make the industry more sustainable.In British waters alone, scientists estimate fish stocks have decl...
Fish & Fields: EU reforms for the better?
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CAP and CFP are the EU abbreviations of the week, but they will remain extremely important for the months to come. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) of the European Union need reform, and with the informal me...
Common Fishery Policy, Data Blogging & Transparency in the EU Council - updated
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Update: See the visualisation of this blog post that I have done as a follow-up. This blog post is definitely among the most work-, research- and lern-intensive I have ever written, and I still feel I haven't done enough, even knowing that the artic...
South Pacific Ocean: Fisheries Convention
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In 2006, the governments of Australia, Chile and New Zealand took the initiative to launch the process of International Consultations on the establishment of South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO). The purpose of the Consul...
