Overhauling fisheries technical measures

Briefing 18-03-2016

Technical measures in fisheries govern the different fishing practices which can be used to catch fish, as well as the areas and seasons for fishing. Aimed at limiting unwanted catches (notably of juvenile fish) or at reducing the impacts of fishing on nature (protected species and vulnerable habitats), EU technical measures in fisheries have, over time, developed into a complex set of prescriptive measures, which do not fully achieve their objectives. The European Commission finalised, on 11 March 2016, a long-awaited proposal to overhaul a number of existing rules and to establish a new legislative framework in this domain. Building on the latest reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the proposal would provide measures of general application in all seas, and baseline measures supporting given objectives, by maritime region. It would also set a new approach on governance and delegation of powers for the development of regional approaches. The Commission estimates that this new regulation would contribute to reaching CFP objectives, notably on delivering maximum sustainable yield for fish stocks, with positive socio-economic and environmental impacts. The European Parliament Fisheries Committee will hold a hearing on the new technical measures framework on 21 March 2016. A more recent edition of this document is available. Find it by searching by the document title at this address: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/home.html