Council Decision (EU) 2019/1563Show full title

2. ORIENTATIONS

The Union shall, where appropriate, endeavour to support the adoption of the following actions by the WECAFC:

a)

resolutions and recommendations for the conservation and management of living marine resources in the area under the competence of the WECAFC based on the best scientific advice available;

b)

resolutions and recommendations on monitoring, control and surveillance activities in the area under the competence of the WECAFC, including to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities;

c)

resolutions and recommendations to minimise the negative impact of fishing activities and aquaculture on marine biodiversity and marine ecosystems and their habitats, including measures to reduce marine pollution and prevent the discharge of plastics at sea and reduce the impact on marine biodiversity and ecosystems of plastics present at sea, protective measures for vulnerable marine ecosystems in the area under the competence of the WECAFC in line with the FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas and measures to avoid and reduce as far as possible unwanted catches, including in particular vulnerable marine species, and to gradually eliminate discards;

d)

resolutions and recommendations to reduce the impact of Abandoned, Lost or Otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) in the ocean and to facilitate the identification and recovery of such gear;

e)

resolutions and recommendations aimed at the prohibition of fisheries conducted solely for the purpose of harvesting shark fins and requiring that all sharks are landed with all fins naturally attached;

f)

common approaches with other RFBs and RFMOs, where appropriate, in particular those involved in fisheries management in the same area;

g)

recommendations, where appropriate and to the extent permitted under the relevant constituent documents, encouraging the implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention of the International Labour Organisation (ILO);

h)

additional technical resolutions and recommendations based on advice from the subsidiary bodies and working groups of the WECAFC.