EU ban on tuna fishing struck down by European judges

Brussels – A European Commission selection to ban bluefin tuna fishing was struck down by European Union judges on Thursday since it applied at various times to Maltese, Greek, French, Italian, Cypriot and Spanish vessels.

As the EU’s executive, the commission polices the bloc’s fishery policy and can ground vessels when annual catch quotas are arrived at or when it deems that stocks are threatened by overfishing.

In the course of the 2008 fishing season, it therefore ordered Maltese, Greek, French, Italian and Cypriot vessels to quit catching tuna in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic, starting up from June 16.

The identical provision was applied a week later, on June 23, to Spanish vessels.

The EU Court of Justice (ECJ) identified that the determination violated ‘the principle of non-discrimination,’ since ‘it has not been shown or even claimed that Spanish (fishermen) were various from other (fishermen) in their ability to catch bluefin tuna.’

The ECJ was asked for an view by a Maltese court, which is examining the appeal of a Maltese tuna farming company that is claiming damages against the EU fishing ban.