EU to ban fish imports from Belize, Guinea and Cambodia
Fish imports from Belize, Guinea and Cambodia are to be banned from the European Union, and three more countries have been warned their imports are in danger, in the first major sanction against countries that allow illegal fishing operations to carry on under their countries’ flags. The three countries to be banned were warned last year that the European commission was preparing to end imports of their fish and fish products, because of concerns that they had failed to take action over piracy and illegal fishing. It is the first time imports have been banned as a result of the widespread global trade in landing fish for which vessels do not have the correct fishing permits. EU vessels will also be banned in fishing in the waters of the three offending nations. … The sanctions, announced by the European commission on Tuesday, will have to be ratified by the EU’s council before they come into force next year. Maria Damanaki, the EU’s fisheries commissioner, said: “The heart of the problem is the lack of effective control on their fleet. How can they claim in these circumstances that the fish caught under their flag or in their coastal waters is sustainable?” …
Fiona Harvey
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/26/eu-ban-fish-import-belize-guinea-cambodia-illegal-fishing
