5 September 2012
EU, Norway Harmonize Control Measures for Sustainable Fisheries
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The EU and Norway agreed to harmonize rules on discarding catches, and other technical measures to ensure fish stock sustainability.

The rules will take effect in 2013 for cod, haddock, herring and mackerel, and in 2015 for sandeel and Norway pout.

Discarding fish is banned, and all catches must be landed, but fish that do not meet size requirements are prohibited for most types of human consumption.

29 August 2012: The EU and Norway have agreed to work together to harmonize technical and control measures for their fisheries in order to ensure fish stock sustainability, according to a European Commission (EC) press release. The rules ban discarding fish, requiring all catches in certain species to be landed.

However, fish that do not meet size requirements may not be used for human consumption, except for charitable purposes.

The rules will take effect in 2013 for cod, haddock, herring and mackerel, and in 2015 for sandeel and Norway pout. The rules became necessary with the termination of a 1966 agreement allowing vessels to fish under flag-state jurisdiction. Coastal-state jurisdiction will now apply to vessels, which makes harmonization more desirable, the EC notes. [EC Press Release]