A recent release from Oceana states that evidence has been presented in an international meeting of mediterranean countries to show that Italy and France are using illegal driftnets.
The international marine conservation organisation has presented reports to the fourth meeting of the ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee that include lists, photographs and dates documenting 71 Italian and 37 French illegal driftnetters as they were carrying out fishing activities or preparing to leave port. These are the results from their June/July campaign to document illegal driftnetters in Mediterranean waters carried out during the 2006 Expedition at the Oceana Ranger research vessel.
Oceana also presented evidence of fraud regarding European subsidies and illegal marketing of tuna and swordfish, as well as incidental bycatch of cetaceans, sea turtles and sharks.
ACCOBAMS (Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black and Mediterranean Seas and Contiguous Atlantic Area) is the result of two United Nations Conventions, plus an independent convention of the European Council.
According to Oceana, the reports also revealed Italy’s fraudulent activities with subsidies provided by the European Union. More than 200 million Euros have been given to Italian shipowners to eliminate the illegal driftnets, and replace them with more selective and sustainable fishing methods. A large number of these shipowners, however, have pocketed the subsidies and continue to fish with this illegal tackle. Oceana has documented and photographed 21 of these vessels.
