Unloading fish at a fishing pier.
Audit body questions effectiveness of Directorate of Fisheries
ICELAND
Tuesday, January 22, 2019, 00:20 (GMT + 9)
A report by Iceland’s National Audit Office (Ríkisendurskoðun) criticises the Directorate of Fisheries, and shows doubts on the effectiveness of the Directorate’s activities in monitoring discard levels.
The report, drawn up after an audit carried out at Parliament's request, indicates that management's discards are "weak and disorganized", that they do not have clear performance objectives and that there are no performance measures to quantify their progress.
The report also recommends increased co-operation between the Directorate of Fisheries and the Coast Guard, while there is also a need to increase the presence of observers on board fishing vessels and to explore technical options for monitoring.
With respect to the weighing of the fishing landings, the report of the National Audit Office indicates that it is limited, and considers that it is very doubtful that it will return the expected results.
On that regard, it recommends to make chek¡skings to determine whether or not weighing at quayside weighbridges takes place under the Directorate’s authority, and for inspector numbers to be increased at harbours with weighing facilities.
The audit also doubts on the Directorate’s effectiveness in monitoring the extent to which linked entities control fishing rights, as set out in the legislation governing fisheries.
Finally, the National audit Office has also drawn attention to the need for the Directorate of Fisheries to have necessary facilities and equipment at its disposal, to be able to provide effective monitoring. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of establishing clear performance objectives, as well as the necessary measures to achieve them.
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