At an Extraordinary Meeting in London at the beginning of July, the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, NEAFC, considered the issue of protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems in response to an UN General Assembly Resolution.
The Commission adopted a recommendation on bottom fishing activities. This measure will monitor and regulate the impact of fisheries on vulnerable areas in the high seas in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The measure means:
• All bottom fishing activity the last 20 years in the area will be mapped. Mapping of bottom trawl activity will be given priority.
• Fishery in areas where no fishing activity with bottom gear has taken place will be regulated by exploratory fishing protocols.
• Mapping of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the high seas.
• Obligations on NEAFC Contracting Parties to require their vessels to immediately cease bottom fishing activities if evidence of vulnerable marine ecosystems is encountered.
The Commission updated the NEAFC IUU A- and B-lists. Four vessels observed undermining NEAFC conservation and enforcement measures, and for which no satisfactory response had been received from the flag state of the vessels, were transferred from the observation A-list to the permanent B-list.
The Commission adopted a Memorandum of Understanding with the OSPAR Commission. NEAFC and the OSPAR have complementary competences for fisheries management and environmental protection respectively in the North East Atlantic. This is the first example, worldwide of a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation and Regional Seas Organisation with an environmental protection remit creating a firm basis for cooperation.
