Büsum, Germany - Various fishing boats are anchored in the fishing port of Büsum on the German North Sea coast © vschlichting - stock.adobe.com/ec.eur

EU Simplifies Reporting for Unsorted Small Pelagic Catches Through Designated Landing Ports

EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, May 16, 2025, 04:00 (GMT + 9)

The European Commission introduces a list of landing ports where fisheries operators handling unsorted small pelagic species will benefit from a margin of tolerance in catch reporting, contingent on robust control measures within those ports.

Brussels – The European Commission has announced a significant move to streamline fishing catch reporting procedures for the unsorted small pelagic fisheries sector. By publishing an initial list of designated landing ports, the Commission is enabling fisheries operators using these ports to benefit from a specific margin of tolerance derogation, provided that stringent fisheries control conditions are demonstrably met within these locations.

The margin of tolerance refers to the maximum permissible discrepancy between a fishing vessel captain's estimation of their catch and the actual recorded weight of the landed fish. This new derogation allows operators landing unsorted small pelagic species in the listed ports to utilize a more flexible approach when recording their catches in their logbooks.

This decision is expected to yield tangible benefits for the fisheries sector, most notably a reduction in administrative burdens associated with catch reporting. The measure directly addresses long-standing requests from fishing operators, a key point of agreement during the revision of the Fisheries Control Regulation.

The ports included on the initial list have demonstrated the implementation of robust control guarantees, encompassing adequate port facilities and rigorous control processes. This ensures the accurate reporting of landed catches and maintains strong overall fisheries control.

To be eligible for inclusion on the list, ports must provide evidence of their compliance with stringent control and monitoring criteria that underpin the margin of tolerance derogation. This includes demonstrating reliable catch registration and weighing procedures, regardless of whether the ports are situated within the European Union or in third countries. The Commission retains the authority to revise and expand the list of eligible ports based on requests from Member States, provided they present compelling evidence that weighing accuracy is consistently ensured in those ports. Conversely, the Commission also reserves the right to delist ports that fail to uphold the required standards.

Background:

Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1474 (the Fisheries Control Regulation) provides the legal basis for this margin of tolerance derogation. It allows specific ports to implement a more flexible approach to catch reporting in logbooks, conditional on the presence of robust control guarantees within those ports.

This derogation specifically applies to landings of unsorted small pelagic species and unsorted tropical tuna species. It is designed to address the inherent challenges associated with reporting unsorted landings, a key issue highlighted during the negotiation process of the revised Fisheries Control Regulation.

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