The Member states of European Union have agreed on launching joint sea patrols in the battle against over fishing of endangered species such as tuna and cod. European Union has already deployed multinational fleets for this purpose. It is said that in February fice ships backed by surveillance aircraft set sail in the Baltic Sea. They were on a mission to stop the over-fishing of cod, once plentiful in the icy waters, but now fast disappearing.
Experts informed that over two weeks, inspectors from Denmark, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden made 112 surprise visits, boarding boats at sea and checking them as they came ashore. In this period ten violations were detected, mainly for under-reporting of catch. The whole operation was organized by the EU Fisheries Control Agency, which enlists EU countries in joint efforts to stop illegal fishing.
So far the agency has coordinated around 20 such missions, mainly in the Baltic and North seas. It is said that in its biggest over-fishing campaign yet, the agency is coordinating the deployment of some 50 patrol boats, 16 aircraft and 30 inspectors to the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic, to ease the pressure on the endangered bluefin tuna. Seven countries are participating: Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.
