The EU welcomes the adoption of the voluntary guidelines on securing sustainable small scale fisheries as well as the endorsement by the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of these guidelines on flag state performance criteria during the 31st session of COFI at FAO headquarters in Rome.
It also notes with satisfaction that there was broad support for the establishment of Global Register, including the use of the IMO number as unique vessel identifier for phase 1 of the register. Both the flag state performance criteria and the Global Register are important tools for the fight against IUU fishing.
The usefulness of catch documentation schemes in combatting IUU fishing was equally underlined and COFI agreed on an expert consultation to develop guidelines for catch documentation schemes based on existing schemes as strongly supported by the EU. COFI decided to also continue work for the establishment of guidelines on tracebility and the monitoring of eco-labeling schemes, looking in particular at their effects on fisheries management and on economic returns.
On aquaculture, COFI recognized the importance of aquaculture for food security and nutrition and asked FAO to continue technical assistance to developing countries. The EU welcomes COFI’s approval of the Evaluation Framework for assessing conformity of public and private certification schemes with the FAO guidelines on aquaculture certification.
COFI also addressed the issue of bycatch management and reduction of discards and requested FAO to continue its efforts to effectively implement the International Guidelines on Bycatch and Reduction of Discards and to look into ways to better address the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG).
Finally, the importance of safety at sea was highlighted, including by the EU, and reference was made to the importance of the ILO convention 188 and the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on the implementation of the provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol of 1993.
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