A proposal on the sustainable management of external fishing fleets has been presented to the agriculture and fisheries sections of the Council of the European Union.
The Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, made the presentation in Brussels on 15 February before an exchange of views with the ministers.
It suggests a new system that will grant and manage fishing authorisations, allowing authorities to better monitor both EU vessels fishing outside Union waters and international vessels fishing in home waters.
The proposal descends from the new Common Fisheries Policy, which clearly states that our fishers must follow the same rules and standards regardless of whether they are fishing inside or outside the EU.
Regulation will apply to all EU vessels fishing outside EU waters, wherever they operate and irrespective of the legal framework under which the fishing takes place.
To obtain a fishing authorisation, vessels will have to show that they comply with a set of criteria that the Commission considers essential.
Monitoring the activities of the EU fishing fleet is viewed as crucial in promoting sustainable fishing and combat illegal operations.
By improving control on EU vessels, the proposed regulation will contribute to the fight against illegal fishing and set a new international standard for management and control of external fleets.
