Considerations on COM(2023)433 - EU position in the Extended Commission of the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna

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dossier COM(2023)433 - EU position in the Extended Commission of the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna.
document COM(2023)433 EN
date January 16, 2024
 
(1)By Council Decision 2015/2437 14 , the European Union concluded the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (‘CSBT Convention’), which established the Commission for the Conservation of the Southern Bluefin Tuna (‘CCSBT’).

(2)The CCSBT is responsible for the management and conservation of the fishery resources in the area of distribution of Southern Bluefin tuna. As the CSBT Convention is restricted to States, the CCSBT has established the ‘Extended Commission of the CCSBT’ that includes fishing entities and the Union in addition to the CCSBT Members. Within the CCSBT, the Extended Commission of the CCSBT prepares the decisions that the CCSBT formally endorses. The CCSBT adopts conservation and management measures for the conservation, management and optimum utilisation of Southern Bluefin tuna. Such measures may become binding upon the Union.

(3)Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council 15  provides that the Union is to ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable in the long-term and are managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits, and of contributing to the availability of food supplies. It also provides that the Union is to apply the precautionary approach to fisheries management, and is to aim to ensure that exploitation of living marine biological resources restores and maintains population of harvested species above levels, which can produce the maximum sustainable yield. It further provides that the Union is to take management and conservation measures based on best available scientific advice, to support the development of scientific knowledge and advice, to gradually eliminate discards and to promote fishing methods that contribute to more selective fishing and the avoidance and reduction, as far as possible, of unwanted catches, to fishing with low impact on marine ecosystem and fishery resources. Besides, Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 specifically provides that those objectives and principles are to be applied by the Union in the conduct of its external fisheries relations.

(4)In line with the Biodiversity 16 , Climate Adaptation 17 and Farm to Fork Strategies 18 , it is essential to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. The risks stemming from climate change and loss of biodiversity must not jeopardise the availability of the goods and services that healthy marine ecosystems provide to fishers, coastal communities and humanity at large.

(5)The Plastics Strategy 19 refers to specific measures to reduce plastics and marine pollution as well as the loss or abandonment at sea of fishing gear. Furthermore, the Zero pollution Action Plan 20 aims at reducing by 50% plastic litter at sea and by 30% micro-plastics released into the environment.

(6)Under the International Ocean Governance Joint Communication 21 , marine biodiversity protection and conservation are key priorities under the EU’s external action The EU is the most prominent actor in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) and fisheries bodies worldwide. There, the EU promotes the sustainability of fish stocks, promotes transparent decision-making based on sound scientific advice, enhances scientific research, and strengthens compliance.

(7)It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the meetings of the CCSBT for the period 2024-2028, as the CCSBT conservation and enforcement measures will be binding on the Union and capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely, Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 22 ; Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 23 ; and Regulation (EU) 2017/2403 of the European Parliament and of the Council 24 .

(8)Currently the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the meetings of the CCSBT is established by Council Decision (EU) 2019/824 25 . It is appropriate to repeal that Decision and establish a new Decision for the period 2024-2028.

(9)In view of the evolving nature of fishery resources in the area of distribution of Southern Bluefin tuna and the consequent need for the Union’sposition to take account of new developments, including new scientific and other relevant information presented before or during the meetings of the CCSBT, procedures should be established for the year-to-year specification of the Union’s position for the period 2024-2028, in line with the principle of sincere cooperation among the Union institutions enshrined in Article 13(2) of the Treaty on the European Union.