Conserving stocks of highly migratory species

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 laying down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It aims to protects and conserve certain stocks of highly migratory maritime species (and by-catches) by setting out technical measures to regulate their capture and landing.

KEY POINTS

Highly migratory species are defined as:

• Tuna:
  • Albacore
  • Bluefin tuna
  • Bigeye tuna
  • Skipjack tuna
  • Atlantic bonito
  • Yellowfin tuna
  • Blackfin tuna
  • Little tuna
  • Southern bluefin tuna
  • Frigate tuna
• Oceanic sea breams
• Marlins
• Sailfish
• Swordfish
• Sauries
• Dolphinfish, common dolphinfish
• Sharks
• Cetaceans (whales and porpoises).

Atlantic Ocean

Undersized fish

Tropical tuna and swordfish smaller than International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recommendations must be returned immediately to the sea. Releasing for sale or marketing undersized fish of these species originating in non-EU countries and caught in the Atlantic is banned.

Fishing vessel and equipment restrictions

Fishing of bigeye tuna by purse seiners and pole-and-line tuna vessels is prohibited during November in certain tropical waters, defined by:

• southern limit: latitude 0° S;
• northern limit: latitude 5° N;
• western limit: longitude 20° W;
• eastern limit: longitude 10° W.

It is also prohibited to fish for, or keep on board, any quantity of skipjack, bigeye or yellowfin tuna caught using purse seines* in certain defined Portuguese waters.

Number of fishing vessels

The Council decides the number allowed and total capacity in gross tonnage (GT) of EU fishing vessels longer than 24 metres targeting bigeye tuna in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas (as defined in Article 1 of the ICCAT Convention), are based on the average numbers during the period 1991 to 1992, and on the restriction on the number of EU vessels fishing for bigeye tuna in 2005 notified to ICCAT on 30 June 2005.

The Council also decides the number of vessels targeting North Atlantic albacore tuna, based on an average for the period 1993 to 1995.

Before 15 May each year, each EU Member State informs the European Commission of the number (and tonnage where appropriate) of vessels as above to be passed on to ICCAT.

Non-targeted species

Member States must encourage the release of live sea turtles and live sharks (particularly juveniles) captured accidentally, as well as reduce discards of sharks by improving the selectivity of fishing gears.

Member States must ban the use of towed nets, encircling nets, purse seines, dredges, gill nets, trammel nets and longlines to fish for tuna and related species in the Mediterranean for sport and recreation, and ensure that fish caught in this way are not marketed.

A yearly report must be produced on the implementation of these measures.

Indian Ocean

Number of fishing vessels

The Council decides the number of EU fishing vessels longer than 24 metres authorised to fish in the Indian Ocean, based on 2003 numbers.

Non-targeted species

Member States must encourage the release of live sharks (particularly juveniles) captured accidentally, as well as reduce discards of sharks.

Member States must do their utmost to reduce the impact of fishing on the sea turtle population, including:

• restrictions on purse seine use, in particular, to avoid circling sea turtles;
• prompt release, using specialist equipment, of any sea turtles caught accidentally;
• development of appropriate gear to minimise by-catches of sea turtles;
• monitoring fish-aggregating devices* in which sea turtles could be caught;
• conditions on using longlines to limit by-catches and mortality of sea turtles.

Western and Central Pacific Ocean

Waste

Member States must minimise waste, discards, catches taken by lost or abandoned gear, pollution from fishing vessels, catches of non-targeted species of fish and animals, and any effects on related or dependent species, in particular species threatened with extinction.

Marine mammals

Encircling with purse seines any school or group of marine mammals is banned.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 June 2007.

BACKGROUND

The EU is a contracting party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (see summary).

• Highly migratory species (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
• Regional fisheries management organisations (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

MAIN DOCUMENT

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)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Council Decision 2005/75/EC of 26 April 2004 on the accession of the Community to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (OJ L 32, 4.2.2005, pp. 1-2)

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)

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

International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (OJ L 162, 18.6.1986, pp. 34-38)

Protocol to amend the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (OJ L 313, 4.12.2019, pp. 3-13)

Council Decision 86/238/EEC of 9 June 1986 on the accession of the Community to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, as amended by the Protocol annexed to the Final Act of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the States Parties to the Convention signed in Paris on 10 July 1984 (OJ L 162, 18.6.1986, p. 33)

last update 29.04.2021