Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence

Ce que fait l'acte

to transpose into EU law the control, conservation and management measures adopted by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), to which the EU has been a contracting party since 1995. PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is the regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO) responsible for the management of tuna and tuna-like resources in the Indian Ocean. The IOTC adopts annual conservation and management measures (CMMs) through resolutions that are binding on Contracting Parties and non-Contracting Cooperating Parties to the IOTC, including the EU. The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report by Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007. The proposal aims to transpose the measures that the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has adopted since 2008, as amended (in some cases) at its annual meetings. The EU must ensure compliance with these measures, as international obligations, as soon as they enter into force. The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows: Members recalled the Agency's mission, namely: (i) to assist Member States in providing the Commission and third parties with information on fishing activities and control and inspection activities; and (ii) at the request of the Commission, to assist the Union and the Member States in their relations with third countries and with international regional fisheries organisations of which the Union is a member. Therefore, Members consider that the EFCA should be the body that receives information from Member States on inspection and control and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, such as inspection reports and observer programme notifications for control purposes and transmits this information to the IOTC Secretariat. As from 1 January 2022, EU fishing vessels should endeavour to use biodegradable FADs with a view to transitioning to the use of biodegradable FADs, with the exception of materials used for instrumented buoys. Member States should endeavour to conduct trials using biodegradable materials to facilitate the transition to the exclusive use of only biodegradable material for drifting FADs construction by their fleets. EU fishing vessels should also endeavour to adopt FADs designed to reduce marine turtle entanglement in accordance with international standards. EU fishing vessels should not retain on board, tranship, land, store, sell or offer for sale any part or whole carcass of oceanic whitetip sharks. Members stressed that, where possible, Member States and the Commission should…