Tuna quotas

Subject: Tuna quotas

Fishers and fishing industry organisations in the Azores have again raised the matter of quotas and are calling for a comprehensive study of current stocks in the region, as they believe there is some discrepancy between what fishers observe at sea and the catch limits imposed on them. They also state that stocks of species like tuna vary from one year to the next, leaving quotas out of line with the real situation.

Portugal’s bigeye tuna quota is currently 3 100 tonnes, of which roughly 2 800 tonnes are the quota for the Azores and Madeira together.

The Azores Fisheries Federation is calling for a specific, independent quota to be assigned only to the outermost regions, considering the highly selective and sustainable pole and line fishing that is carried out there. In light of the above:

1. What measures is the Commission considering to support Member States – rather than limiting them as it does now – so that they are able to develop human and technical resources to carry out their own periodic studies into the state of fish stocks?

2. Given the industry’s reasonable demands, what steps is the Commission considering to create more suitable quotas for bigeye tuna and bluefin tuna?

Submitted:13.4.2024

Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius on behalf of the European Commission (30 May 2024)

1. Under the provisions of the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), to which the EU is a contracting party, the ICCAT Commission has the responsibility for the study of the populations of tuna and tuna-like species. It is mandated to conduct research on the abundance, biometry and ecology of the fishes, and the effects of natural and human factors upon their abundance. In that context, it can, and does, draw on the available scientific knowledge and studies of the ICCAT contracting parties. The EU therefore plays a key role in shaping and steering the ICCAT work on fish stocks. Member States’ administrations are encouraged to coordinate internally with their scientific community, and with the EU scientists in ICCAT, in relation to studies being undertaken domestically.

2. Agreeing on a revised bigeye tuna total allowable catch (TAC) in ICCAT, including an acceptable allocation key linked thereto, remains a priority for the Commission in 2024. ICCAT has set the bluefin tuna TAC until the end of 2025 (1). It is a Member State’s prerogative to distribute domestically its EU ICCAT Convention area quota allocation as set out in Council Regulation (EU) 2024/257 (2). In accordance with Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (3), when allocating fishing opportunities Member States must use transparent and objective criteria, including those of an environmental, social and economic nature. Moreover, Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 (4) provides for additional flexibility for quota allocation to small- scale vessels. The Commission therefore considers that Member States’ administrations are best placed to assess the benefits of domestic fishing opportunities’ allocation.

1 ∙ ⸱ ICCAT 22-08 — Recommendation by ICCAT amending the recommendation 21-08 establishing a multi-annual management plan for bluefin tuna in the

Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean https://www.iccat.int/Documents/Recs/compendiopdf-e/2022-08-e.pdf 2 ∙ ⸱ Council Regulation (EU) 2024/257 of 10 January 2024 fixing for 2024, 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters, and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/194 (OJ L, 2024/257, 11.1.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/257/oj 3 ∙ ⸱

Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 22), ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1380/oj 4 ∙ ⸱ Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, amending Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EU) 2017/2107, and (EU) 2019/833 and repealing Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 (OJ L 238, 27.9.2023, p. 1), ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2053/oj