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Brussels: Commission seeks public comment on action plan to reduce seabird catches |
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Sunday, 08 August 2010 08:47 |
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The European Commission is launching a public consultation to contribute to the proposed European Union action plan to limit the interaction between seabirds and fishing gear. This interaction often results in the death of the birds and at the same time reduces the profitability of the fishing operation. The action plan is based upon the outcome of an assessment carried out by ICES, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, that identified the main areas and the main fisheries that suffer from the problem. These include fisheries in the Mediterranean, North and Baltic seas and off the southwest of Ireland, that use longlines and gill nets. The Commission also represents the EU on the FAO’s Commission on Fisheries in all matters relating to the international plan of action to reduce the incidence of catches of seabirds on longlines, and has used this experience as well in the formulation of the proposed action plan. By opening the proposal to contributions from the public, the Commission hopes to gather the views of all the stakeholders involved. A study on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the measures to reduce catches of seabirds in fishing gear will also be commissioned. The action plan will draw on both the study and the public consultation and is scheduled for adoption next year.
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