Debate and vote on new EU fisheries control rules to ensure traceability
All fishing activities by EU vessels will be tracked and all their catches will have to be reported electronically, under new legislation set to be adopted on Tuesday.
MEPs will debate on Monday, ahead of the final vote on Tuesday, on the overhaul of the current monitoring fisheries activities, already agreed with the Council. The new rules foresee the tracking of all fishing vessels (except small-scale coastal vessels under nine meters and within specific conditions until 2030), electronic reporting of all catches and digital traceability along the supply chain.
Boats that are 18 meters long or more, which pose a high risk of not complying with the rules, will have to carry remote electronic monitoring systems, including CCTV cameras, to ensure landing obligations are met. In case of serious infringements, sanctions will be determined based on the value of fishery products.
Stricter traceability to tackle Chinese illegal fishing
In a separate debate on Monday and vote on Tuesday, plenary will discuss how the EU can respond to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in international waters and ensure a more robust traceability system. MEPs want imported products to comply with the same rules as those applied to catches by EU fishers.
The draft text focuses on China, deploring that its authorities have not been transparent about how many vessels they have and have not shared information about the subsidies they receive. MEPs also denounce opaque agreements between China and third countries and warn that Chinese fishing fleet activities are depleting fisheries resources and putting food security at risk, particularly in West Africa.
Procedure code: 2018/0193 (COD) and 2023/2072 (INI)
Procedures: Ordinary legislative procedure, first reading agreement, and own-initiative report
Debates: Monday 16 October
Votes: Tuesday 17 October
Press conference: Tuesday, 17 October at 15.00 CEST, with rapporteur Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spain) on fisheries control rules