European Parliament Releases

MEPs backed new international measures to further reduce illegal catches of bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, in a vote on Wednesday aimed at ensuring more sustainable development of stocks. They also called for more advice on the identification of spawning grounds and the creation of sanctuaries.

The new rules, which focus chiefly on reducing the size of fishing fleets, extending closed seasons for purse seiners and beefing up controls, were agreed at the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) in November 2010. The EU, as a contracting party to ICCAT, is obliged to incorporate its recommendations into EU law.

The new rules were approved by 635 votes to 16, with 11 abstentions. The regulation will enter into force once it has been endorsed by the Council.

More:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20120523IPR45629/html/Parliament-approves-stricter-rules-to-save-bluefin-tuna