The European Parliament approves the bluefin tuna management plan

This Tuesday, the European Parliament (EP) gave its final approval to the management plan for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Atlantic, which will oblige the Member States of the European Union (EU) that fish for this species to draw up annual plans. The European Parliament specified in a statement that EU countries that have been assigned quotas to catch bluefin tuna must establish annual fishing plans that define the number of boats and traps. It added that purse seine capacity will increase by up to 20% compared to 2018 limits and that by-catch should not exceed 20% of the total catch on board at the end of each trip. “The annual fishing plan should also pay special attention to artisanal and small-scale vessels authorized to capture this species. Member States should make greater efforts to ensure a fair and transparent distribution of fishing opportunities between small-scale, artisanal and larger fleets,” the EP said. He indicated that the bluefin tuna ...