Management, conservation and control measures established by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 on management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission area of competence

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It aims to implement into European Union (EU) law tuna fishing rules established by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

KEY POINTS

• The western Indian Ocean is one of the main tuna fishing areas for the EU.
• The EU has been a contracting party of the IOTC since 1995.
• The rules cover the management, data collection, reporting and protection of certain fish species.
• The European Fisheries Control Agency promotes common standards for control, inspection and surveillance under the common fisheries policy.
• Regulations (EC) Nos 1224/2009 on the EU’s fisheries control system (see summary) and 1005/2008 on eliminating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (see summary) set out the rules and procedures for the control, inspection and enforcement by national authorities of the rules of the common fisheries policy.

Scope

The regulation applies to:

• EU fishing vessels that operate in the IOTC’s area of competence;
• EU fishing vessels in the event of transhipments* and landings of IOTC species outside the area; and
• non-EU fishing vessels making use of ports in EU Member States while carrying IOTC species or fishery products originating from such species.

Main rules

The IOTC’s rules include:

• management, data collection and recording requirements for tuna, billfishes and shark species;
• protection measures for a number of species including rays, sharks, cetaceans and marine turtles;
• a ban of certain fishing practices;
• rules on the use and reporting of fish-aggregating devices;
• rules on the scientific observation scheme on board vessels;
• monitoring, control and surveillance provisions, including port state measure and transhipments and landings of IOTC species;
• control measures including:
  • the documentation on board vessels,
  • record of authorised vessels and the procedure to grant authorisations,
  • procedures against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Amendments

To allow EU law to be swiftly adapted to future IOTC resolutions, the regulation authorises the European Commission to adopt delegated acts to take account of technical changes.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

• It has applied since 22 December 2022.
• The regulation amends Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001 (see summary), (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007 (see summary) in relation to the rules they set concerning IOTC conservation and management measures.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

• Sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 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 (OJ L 311, 2.12.2022, pp. 1–53).

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) 2019/473 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the European Fisheries Control Agency (codification) (OJ L 83, 25.3.2019, pp. 18–37).

Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, pp. 22–61).

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006 (OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, pp. 1–50).

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1936/2001 and (EC) No 601/2004 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1093/94 and (EC) No 1447/1999 (OJ L 286, 29.10.2008, pp. 1–32).

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 of 7 May 2007 laying down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species and repealing Regulation (EC) No 973/2001 (OJ L 123, 12.5.2007, pp. 3–13).

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1984/2003 of 8 April 2003 introducing a system for the statistical monitoring of trade in bluefin tuna, swordfish and bigeye tuna within the Community (OJ L 295, 13.11.2003, pp. 1–42).

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1936/2001 of 27 September 2001 laying down control measures applicable to fishing for certain stocks of highly migratory fish (OJ L 263, 3.10.2001, pp. 1–8).

See consolidated version.

Agreement for the establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (OJ L 236, 5.10.1995, pp. 25–33).

Council Decision 95/399/EC of 18 September 1995 on the accession of the Community to the Agreement for the establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (OJ L 236, 5.10.1995, p. 24).

last update 09.03.2023