EU says Philippines, PNG face import ban over illegal fishing

European Union commissioner for Maritime affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, speaks during a press conference dedicated to the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) and to the situation specifically in the Philippines and Papua Guinea, at the EU headquarters in Brussels on June 10, 2014. The EU warned today the Philippines, one of the world’s largest fishing nations, and Papua New Guinea that they faced an import ban if they do not curb illegal fishing. AFP

BRUSSELS–The EU warned Tuesday the Philippines, one of the world’s largest fishing nations, and Papua New Guinea that they faced an import ban if they do not curb illegal fishing.

The European Commission said it had failed to make progress in talks with both countries and decided to issue a formal warning–a “yellow card”–that they must reach European Union standards on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

If the Philippines, listed as the 12th-biggest global fishing nation, and PNG fail to come up to scratch “through dialogue and cooperation … then the EU can proceed to trade measures,” it said.

The position will be reviewed in six months’ time to see if the two countries have made enough progress on action plans drawn up by the EU, it added.

In March, the EU banned fish imports from Belize, Cambodia and Guinea for “acting insufficiently against illegal fishing.”

The Commission similarly warned Panama, Fiji, Togo, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu in 2012 and South Korea, Ghana and Curacao in 2013 but said Tuesday most of these countries had “cooperated constructively” with Brussels.

Illegal fishing is estimated to account for 15 percent of the world catch annually, with the EU importing about 65 percent of its seafood.

Fisheries in the Philippines and PNG are under huge pressure from growing populations and environmental damage.

The EU imported fish worth 165 million euros from the Philippines in 2013 and 108 million euros from PNG.