The EU and Canada signed a Joint Declaration on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing last week, sending a strong message of zero tolerance towards such criminal activities.
The declaration was signed by Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, and the Canadian Minister of Fisheries Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Hunter Tootoo.
This statement cements and formalises the already fruitful cooperation between the EU and Canada at various levels: bilaterally, in regional fisheries management organisations, and in international fora. In particular, it will allow Canada and the EU to strengthen monitoring and compliance measures, and to exchange information on suspected and proven cases of non-compliance.
"The EU is a global leader in tackling illegal fishing. With our IUU Regulation, we have adopted one of the most advanced policies in the world. And I am proud to say that our efforts are paying off. I hope that strong signals like this statement with our Canadian partners convince even more countries to come on board and join us in our endeavour to eradicate illegal fishing once and for all," Commissioner Vella said.
IUU fishing is a major global problem, worth an estimated €10 billion a year. It depletes ocean resources and destroys the livelihoods of law-abiding fishermen who play by the rules. In many parts of the world, it is also often linked to other criminal activities like human trafficking or smuggling.
