Poaching in Italian rivers

10.3.2015

Question for written answer E-003833-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Aldo Patriciello (PPE)

Considering:

• — the countless seizures of illegally obtained fish and numerous arrests made by the Italian authorities, unmasking genuine criminal organisations consisting of hundreds of individuals, who were each assigned a portion of a river or tributary in which to poach and who profited from loopholes in current legislation, which hasn’t been updated since 1931, in order to obtain a professional fishing licence;
• — that professional fishing should take place only in certain zones intended for that purpose, but nets have reportedly been seized in areas not designated for commercial fishing, even inside oases or fish spawning and nursery grounds;
• — that poachers are not only committing a criminal offence by fishing using illegal methods, but are also breaching marketing laws, in that products obtained in this way are not subject to any health or hygiene controls, and predominantly end up on the East European markets;
• — the lack of controls and resources available to the authorities,

Does the Commission believe that this problem could be addressed on a European level?