On 11 June 2007 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 643/2007(1) amending Regulation (EC) No 41/2007 as concerns the recovery plan for bluefin tuna recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. However, the text does not respect the principle of equal treatment for bluefin tuna fishermen in the European Union. The rules governing the minimum weight of fish caught and the fishing periods differ according to the geographical areas of the catches.

What are the reasons for such disparities in the way Mediterranean and East Atlantic fishermen are treated?

The restrictions imposed on French bluefin tuna fishermen in the Mediterranean could seriously disrupt the sector's socio-economic balance. Above the 30kg limit imposed by the new regulation, tuna are hard to sell. A two-week reduction in the fishing season means a significant drop in turnover for fishermen. Around one thousand fishermen and their families are directly affected by these measures.

In what way is bluefin tuna fishing more harmful in the Mediterranean than in the East Atlantic?

(1) OJ L 151, 13.6.2007, p. 1.