Ceremony held at the European Parliament, where OPAGAC made the offer to the EC. (Photo: OPAGAC)
Spanish tuna fleet offers EC to use responsible fishing standard
EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, June 22, 2018, 22:50 (GMT + 9)
The Organization of Associated Producers of Large Tuna Freezer Vessels (OPAGAC) has proposed the European Commission (EC) to adopt its Standard for Responsible Tuna Fisheries (APR) as European regulations required for EU fisheries imports, given the international support it has received.
The organization that represents the Spanish tuna industry highlights that the APR, developed entirely in Spain, is the only standard in the world that contemplates the social sustainability of the crew members at the same level as the biological and economic ones.
In a ceremony held yesterday in the European Parliament, OPAGAC asked the EC for the next regulation to incorporate minimum requirements in terms of control, environmental sustainability and labour rights in line with its APR Standard, the only one in the world’s fishing sector to contemplate the requirements of ILO Convention 188.
"If Europe takes this step, it would be a significant boost to stop illegal fishing, since the EU is the largest market for fish products in the world today," says Julio Morón, OPAGAC managing director.
The offer of the Spanish tuna fleet comes at a time when the EC must legislate on this matter by mandate of the Committee of Fisheries of the European Parliament, after agreeing to process a report by the Swedish MEP Linnéa Ergström, requesting control measures to the fishery products imported by the EU.
The MEP argues that currently the Community market is discriminatory, not requiring the same requirements to fish products originating in the EU as to those imported from third countries, in terms of social and labour rights of the crew, sanitary conditions and safety on board or environmental impact of its activity, among others.
In this regard, the Spanish leader said: "Many fishery products sold in the EU come from precarious fishing activities that do not meet the requirements of environmental sustainability or respect the crew’s social and labour rights, requirements that, paradoxically, are required from the European fleet."
Related articles:
- APR certificate consolidated in international fora against illegal fishing
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