Press Release: Fisheries: The EU ‘zero tolerance’ campaign against illegal fishing gets tougher

Getting away with fishing illegally will become much more difficult for fishermen from April 2011, as the EU's new system for fisheries control is now fully operational.

With the adoption of detailed rules on how to carry out controls throughout the market chain "from net to plate", the EU now has the means to break with the past and establish a real culture of compliance to stop overfishing and help make EU fisheries truly sustainable.

The new system ensures traceability throughout the whole chain from the time when the fish is caught until it reaches the consumer. Member states' authorities can spot wrongdoings at any point in the market chain, and trace them back to the culprit. Inspections will be done in the same way all over Europe. Data are collected and cross-checked electronically. And once the product reaches the stores, the consumer will know it has been fished legally.

If someone breaks the law, they will face equally severe sanctions wherever they are and whatever their nationality. And if they are repeatedly caught fishing illegally, thanks to a new point system they will end up losing their licence.

ESO: Background Information: Speech: Zero tolerance on illegal fishing http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-zero-tolerance-on-illegal-fishing/

ESO: Background Information: Speech: Closing the door to illegal fishing http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-closing-the-door-to-illegal-fishing/

ESO: Background Information: Proposal for a Council Decision on the approval of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing http://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-council-decision-on-the-approval-of-the-agreement-on-port-state-measures-to-prevent-deter-and-eliminate-illegal-unreported-and-unregulated-fishing/

European Commission: Memo/11/234: Fisheries: Questions and answers on the new EU fisheries control rules http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/234&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

EUObserver, 13.4.11: EU signals 'zero tolerance' against illegal fishing http://euobserver.com/9/32170

European Commission: Speech/11/257: Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Opening address "Pact of Islands" conference, Committee of the Regions, Brussels, 12 April 2011 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/257&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: Speech/11/256: Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, "New Fisheries Control regime", Press conference, Brussels, 12 April 2011 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/256&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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