The European Commission unveiled on October 17th, 2007 a major policy initiative aimed at eliminating illegal fishing activities by attacking the main driver behind them: short-term profit.

Ignoring all rules, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing depletes fish stocks, destroys marine habitats, distorts competition for honest fishermen and weakens costal communities, particularly in developing countries. As one of the major fishing powers and as the largest market in fisheries products in the world, the EU has a major role to play in stamping out IUU fishing. Today's proposed measures would allow access to the EU market only to fisheries products that have been certified as legal by the flag state or the exporting state concerned. A European black list of IUU vessels and of states which turn a blind eye to IUU activities would be set up as would deterrent sanctions against IUU activities in EU waters and against EU operators engaged in IUU activities anywhere in the world. The fight against illegal fishing is part of the EU drive to ensure the sustainable use of the sea which underpins the proposed integrated maritime policy adopted by the Commission last week. Today's package contains a Communication and a proposal for a Council Regulation.