Better data on fisheries: Council adopts improved EU rules
On 25 April 2017 the Council adopted a regulation aimed at improving the collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector.
The new rules simplify and strengthen the current system for the collection of biological, environmental, technical and socio-economic data. They will allow in particular for the gathering of extensive and reliable information on issues such as the state of fish stocks, fisheries management measures, and mitigation measures, and will make data available at regional and European level, thereby providing a solid basis for scientific advice and policy making.
The aim of the new regulation is to align EU rules with the objectives of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), including the protection of the marine environment, the sustainable management of all commercially exploited species, and in particular the achievement of good environmental status in the marine environment by 2020.