European Union: ENVI members support total ban on shark finning

The EU regulation forbidding shark finning (the removal of fins from a shark on board a boat before throwing its body back into the sea) will be strengthened by the deletion of special dispensations.

Political agreement was reached at the Fisheries Council, on 19 March (see Europolitics4389) and now the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment (ENVI) has, by adopting a report on the matter by Andrea Zanoni (ALDE, Italy), on 25 April, given its approval to the Commission’s proposal to modify the regulation.

The practice of finning is forbidden within the EU by Regulation EC 1185/2003, which nonetheless allows for possible dispensations to obtain ‘special permits’ – exceptions that have become the rule in two member states, Spain and Portugal (the only countries to have voted against deleting the dispensations at the Council).

The system that allows the on-board removal of fins – within a limit of 5% between the weight of the fin and that of the carcass – makes checks almost impossible, hence the proposal to delete the dispensation. MEPs support this proposal, saying that a system requiring that fins remain naturally attached is the only way of fighting against finning and allowing member states to carry out simple, effective and cost-efficient checks. However, they say, it is necessary to clarify the range of inspections in order to cover the entire scope of the regulation, which is not just limited to boats flying the flag of an EU member state but all boats operating within EU waters. They are also calling for surveillance of the quality of checks, so that the Commission will have access to more precise and complete information on inspections and on sanctions applied by member states.

Source: Europolitics

Supplementary Information / Documents (PDF)

Andrea Zanoni
6 February 2012
DRAFT OPINION
on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003 on the removal of fins of sharks on board vessels
PDF – DOWNLOAD

Andrea Zanoni
8 March 2012
AMENDMENTS 11 – 18
Draft opinion – on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council amending
Council Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003 on the removal of fins of sharks on board vessels
PDF – DOWNLOAD

Maria do Céu Patrão Neves
2 March 2012
WORKING DOCUMENT – Part 1
on the regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003
on the removal of fins of sharks on board vessels
PDF – DOWNLOAD

Maria do Céu Patrão Neves
2 March 2012
WORKING DOCUMENT – Part 2
on the regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003
on the removal of fins of sharks on board vessels
PDF – DOWNLOAD