New, simplified system makes EU data for fisheries easily available

The data is crucial in improving the scientific advice necessary for the implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

The most promising development is that in the future, data will be easily available to anyone who needs it. Currently, data is obtained only upon request. This creates an unnecessary burden for the research institutes and leaving much of the data underutilized.

The new system will make it easier to achieve optimal levels that allow fish stocks to regenerate, known as Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). The aim is to achieve this for all the stocks fished in EU waters by 2020.

Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella said:“If our extensive knowledge and data on EU fisheries is not accessible to all, the objective for sustainable management of our resources will not be possible. With this new simplified system, we can reinforce our coordination at regional level, and with existing EU-wide polices“.

The simplification process will make data readily available and will remove overlaps with other EU legislation (e.g. with the statistical Regulations). The scope will be slightly expanded: side-effects of fisheries on the ecosystem will now be recorded, thus facilitating the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

This proposal is the result of extensive consultations with the Member States, the national scientific institutes directly involved in the collection and monitoring of fisheries data and the main data users, such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), but also with NGOs and other interested parties.

Background

The systematic collection of reliable basic data on fisheries is a cornerstone of fish stock assessment and scientific advice, and consequently for the effective implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy. This new regulation builds on the original EU framework for the collection and management of such data as part of an integrated programme which was set up in 2000 (Council Regulation EC N°1543/2000) and 2008 (Council Regulation EC N°199/2008).

The European Union is a major funder of fisheries data collection. Since 2014, with the entering into force of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the EU co-financing rate data collection stepped up from 50% to 80%. It is likely that this increased funding, together with the increase in efficiency and the removal of overlaps will lead to the elimination of the gaps in our knowledge about fish stocks.

The current methods for data collection will be continued: collection of data in ports or at sea by observers on board in commercial fishing vessels, scientific surveys at sea to locate and follow fish stocks, compilation of control data from logbooks, sales notes and satellite data and socio-economic surveys of the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors.

This proposal is the result of extensive consultations with the Member States, the national scientific institutes directly involved in the collection and monitoring of fisheries data and the main data users, such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), but also with NGOs and other interested parties.

The proposal is accompanied by an extensive Commission Staff Working Paper, explaining in detail the basics of data collection and the background and reasons for the proposed improvements.

Source: European Commission