As per the press release the European Commission has signed two administrative cooperation agreements with Canada and Iceland in order to go ahead with new steps in the parties’ effort to prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The EU has been committed to fight against IUU fishing for over a decade, but intensified its actions by adopting the so-called “IUU Regulation” in September 2008.
It is informed that IUU Regulation is a part of the EU fisheries control policy and will enter into force on 1 January 2010. The agreed records between the parties recognise that the control systems in place in the two countries equal the level of control laid down in the European Regulation. It is said that the agreements will also enhance the cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing between the respective authorities.
The main purpose of the IUU Regulation is the introduction of a catch certification scheme which will ensure that all maritime fisheries products which are to be traded with the EU are obtained in compliance with existing conservation and management measures. The IUU Regulation is a transparent and non-discriminatory instrument applying to all fishing vessels engaged in the commercial exploitation of fishery resources in all maritime waters.
