Spanish purse seine tuna vessel. (Photo: Stock File)
Purse seine fleet ends bluefin tuna season closes three days before closure
EUROPEAN UNION
Tuesday, June 27, 2017, 02:10 (GMT + 9)
The bluefin tuna fishing season in the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea and in the Adriatic Sea ended last June 21 for the European Union purse seine fleet, three days before the official closure set on June 24.
The European Commission (EC) highlights that thanks to the implementation of an international recovery plan and to the efforts of fishermen, this year’s bluefin tuna catch limits were increased, as the stock showed continued signs of recovery in the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea and in the Adriatic Sea.
The 2017 campaign had started on May 26 and, according to the European executive body, it ran smoothly and inspections on European vessels did not reveal systemic illegal activities.
The EC is equally pleased to confirm that, for the first year, all European operators are using the electronic catch documentation system for bluefin tuna developed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
The transition from the paper-based bluefin tuna catch documentation program to an electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation system took place in response to the need to detect fraud and deter illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) shipments, as well as to improve tracking of bluefin tuna catch and commerce.
The European Commission’s control team – together with the team of the European Fisheries Control Agency and in close co-operation with the competent national authorities – is now monitoring that caging operations in Spain, Malta and Croatia are performed according to ICCAT standards, in order to guarantee full implementation of ICCAT rules and EU legislation.
While benefiting from the increase in fishing opportunities, the majority of European purse seine vessels had already fished their quota in early June, and vessels were called back to port by their national authorities.
The quota uptake has now reached 100 per cent for the EU purse seiner fleet while other gear types still have quota available.
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