Regulation (EU) 2022/2056 laying down conservation and management measures applicable in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area

What it is

to transpose into European Union (EU) law the conservation and management measures adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). 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 EU has been a contracting party to the WCPFC since 2004, when it ratified the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The WCPFC is the regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO) responsible for the management of fisheries resources in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. WCPFC's conservation and management measures apply to the entire WCPFC Convention Area. The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report by Isabel CARVALHAIS (S&D, PT) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down conservation and management measures applicable in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 520/2007. The committee recommended that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission's proposal as follows: The amended text stipulated that the Regulation should apply to Union fishing vessels carrying out fishing in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area. Its aim is to incorporate into European Union law the conservation and management measures (CMMs) adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). The mission of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) is, inter alia , to organise the operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by Member States for the implementation of international control and inspection programmes such as the ones implemented in WCPFC CMMs, and to assist Member States in reporting information on fishing activities and control and inspection activities to the Commission and third parties. It is therefore appropriate for the EFCA to be the body that receives from Member States and transmits to the WCPFC Secretariat information relating to control and inspection, such as at sea inspection reports and notifications of the WCPFC. Members stressed that Union fishing vessel should bring on board any captured hard-shell sea turtle (family Cheloniidae) that is comatose or inactive as soon as possible after capture and foster its recovery, including giving it resuscitation, before returning it to the water. Masters and operators of Union fishing vessels should ensure that crew is aware of and use proper mitigation and handling techniques. The amended text stipulated that Union fishing vessels should be prohibited from discharging marine waste produced on board or any plastics, including plastic packaging, items containing plastic and polystyrene into the sea. Members, once again, stressed the need to include the EFCA in the information exchange scheme to and from the WCPFC secretariat, Member States, fishing…

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