Brussels – The European Fee will prohibit fishing within the Bay of Biscay for vessels over eight meters in size from January 22 to February 20, 2025, to forestall unintended catches of dolphins and different small cetaceans consistent with the advice of Spain and three different Member States.
Brussels adopted a delegated act on Monday to implement these measures following a joint suggestion from Belgium, Spain, France, and Portugal. Except the European Parliament or the Council objects within the subsequent two months, the ban will come into impact to shut the Bay of Biscay to giant fishing vessels.
About 300 affected vessels should keep in port to keep away from unintended catches of small cetaceans in the course of the winter, a interval recognized by scientists as excessive danger for the species.
Along with the one-month fishing ban, these measures embody the obligatory use of acoustic deterrent gadgets and a year-round monitoring program of small cetaceans by means of observers and onboard cameras.
These measures purpose to deal with the recurring drawback of winter strandings of dolphins and small cetaceans on the coastlines of the Bay of Biscay, a scenario that the Fee will proceed to watch intently subsequent yr to evaluate if further measures are mandatory.
The EU govt takes for example the fishing ban already instituted by the French authorities from January 20 to February 22, 2024, affecting the fleet fishing within the Bay of Biscay and concentrating on species equivalent to hake, monkfish, or megrim.
Brussels identified that emergency measures just like the one adopted by the French authorities are a prerogative of Member States and welcomed France’s use of the devices provided by the Widespread Fisheries Coverage (CFP) to successfully shield these species. (September 30)
