Little change for recreational fishermen

With reference to the article entitled Borg Wins Backing For Stricter Fishing Rules (October 21), I would like to clarify one particular point.

The article states that recreational fishermen would have to abide by the new rules. This however is only true in exceptional cases and not the norm.

Under the new proposed regulation to better control fisheries in the EU, the October 2009 Fisheries Council decided that catches by recreational fishermen will not be counted against the national quota of member states, that is the status quo remains.

However, from 2010 there is an obligation for member states to evaluate the impact of some recreational fisheries, namely for fish stocks under an EU recovery plan (for instance cod).

Only if this impact was shown to be significant for the sustainability of the concerned fishery could in future specific management measures be taken for recreational fishing of these species.

For bluefin tuna rules already exist: international rules agreed under ICCAT, and transposed into EU law, indicate that there is an obligation for member states to set up a quota for recreational fisheries and there is an obligation to register catches which will count against national quota. Also, recreational fishermen need an authorisation to fish and can only bring one bluefin tuna per fishing trip. This law is in existence and the new law does not change anything.

The Commission has no wish to impose unnecessary rules on recreational fishermen. Recreational fishermen have nothing to fear from these new rules.