The best news coming out of this year’s Western and Central Fisheries Commission annual meeting for the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) is the Commission’s adoption on its last day of meetings in Fiji of a measure to improve the safety of fisheries observers.
The European Parliament proposes new rules extending to the authorisation of fishing vessels operating outside community waters to include private agreements between EU companies and third countries, with the stated aim of increasing transparency and accountability.
Europêche has set out its position on the Barents Sea snow crab fishery in a position document sent to EU Ministers ahead of this week’s Council of Ministers.
Negotiations to finalise fish catching opportunities for 2017 will begin at the annual EU Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels on Monday 12th of December.
Europêche and EAPO are calling on EU Member State Ministers to take into account the integrity of European fisheries when deciding on TACs and Quotas for 2017 as the Council of Ministers takes place next week.
After eight days of meetings, the 20th Special Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT or ICCAT) concluded at Vilamoura in Portugal with the adoption of several recommendations expected to affect several French fishing sectors.
A workshop held in Tangier by the General Fisheries Council of the Mediterranean (GFCM) within the framework of the 2016 Forum of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean, and by the Network of Marine Protected Area Managers in the Mediterranean (MedPAN), reiterates the role played by MPAs.
At this time of year, French fishermen are deeply concerned about the approach taken by the Council of Fisheries Ministers, which sets out TACs and quotas. This year, their concerns are all the more acute as the European Commission's proposals for TACs and quotas of 2017 leave them angry and struggling to understand the Council’s reasoning.
Norway and the EU have agreed mutual access for fishing Atlanto-Scandian herring and blue whiting in each others’ zones in 2017, and the agreement gives the Norwegian fleet increased access to blue whiting in EU waters next year.
The UK’s two main representative organisations for commercial fishermen – the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) and the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) – have agreed upon common principles to ensure the best possible deal for coastal communities in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.