Reaching consensus at the 43rd North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) meeting has proved a challenge, and the EU has stated that unprecedented disagreements have arisen.
The EU has voiced its concern over the absence of a compliance report for the first time in NEAFC’s history. An EU representative stated that serious infringements to the NEAFC rules involving vessels from some NEAFC parties have not been formally recognised by the organisation and will not be followed up. Infringements of other fleets operating in the NEAFC area will also face no sanctions.
The EU also stated that no other parties saw fit to call on Russia to cease fishing activities that appear to be illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) and to take enforcement action in relevant cases. Russian vessels have been engaging in bottom fishing outside the designated demersal fishing areas, and without notifying NEAFC. Fishing outside those areas is prohibited under the NEAFC recommendation aimed at protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems.
The EU opposed granting the status of cooperating non-contracting party to Panama and Bahamas and proposed listing several vessels from those countries in the NEAFC IUU list due to detected infringements and insufficient enforcement measures.
At its 43rd meeting, NEAFC adopted a recommendation to set catch limits for mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring, in line with ICES advice. Despite agreeing on the commitment to set catch limits, the EU regrets the lack of comprehensive sharing arrangements and the non-cooperative attitude towards the EU in the coastal states’ consultations for Atlanto-Scandian herring. The EU called for decisive action to ensure the sustainable management of pelagic stocks.
Directed fishing on Irminger Sea redfish will continue to be prohibited through to 2027, although despite previous prohibitions, Russia has undertaken directed and fishing activities on these stocks.
NEAFC resolved to continue restricting port services for vessels carrying redfish catches. However, the current measures have not proven to be restrictive. At the initiative of the EU, NEAFC decided that Russian vessels fishing for Irminger Sea redfish would lose the right to access the ports of the EU. The EU urged NEAFC parties to introduce the same measures as soon as possible, and to restrict Russian vessels fishing for Irminger Sea redfish access to their waters to prevent unsustainable fishing.
Measures protect porbeagle, spurdog, and orange roughy were also adopted at the meeting.
NEAFC will continue to work towards the implementation of these recommendations and measures, with the aim of ensuring the long-term sustainability of fish stocks and the protection of the marine ecosystem. Decisions on whether it is appropriate to grant the status of cooperating non-contracting parties to Panama and Bahamas and amending the NEAFC IUU list would be taken in the first half of 2025.
‘The EU will also continue to advocate for greater cooperation and compliance from all parties to address the challenges and concerns raised during the meeting,’ an EU representative commented.
