November 9, 2007

EU wants China to certify legally caught fish

As the EU cracks down on illegal fishing, major fish processing countries such as China must strengthen certification to prove the sources of their products are legally caught, a EU fisheries official said at a news conference Friday (November 9, 2007).

Each year, nearly US$15 billion worth of fish is caught illegally, according to estimates.

Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs said the EU is aware that cod and other protected fish were processed in China and other countries, hampering efforts to make fisheries more sustainable and creating unfair competition for legal fishing vessels.

Thus the EU, which imports fish products from China, wants to ensure that the country has the proper mechanism in place to certify legally caught fish, Borg said.

Urging closer cooperation between the two countries to eliminate illegal fishing, Borg also highlighted a new EU draft law which would crack down on illegal fishing in European waters with fines and the blacklisting of vessels and countries, he said.

The law would call for all imported fish and fisheries products into the EU to bear certification to prove the catch has been legally caught. The EU will deny entry to vessels violating the rules. 

In China, Borg met with agricultural and fishery officials for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation on managing fisheries and fighting pirate fishing.

China is the largest seafood producer and exporter in the world.