Laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Area covered under the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)
In interinstitutional negotiations (trilogues). Parliament and Council are working toward a provisional agreement, which would still need formal adoption to become law.
Last active 11 Jul 2023
What this bill does
In plain terms: what it changes and who it affects.
This regulation puts Southern Indian Ocean fisheries rules into EU law for EU vessels and relevant third-country vessels in EU ports.
It affects EU fishing vessel owners and crews operating in the Southern Indian Ocean, especially bottom-fishing and toothfish vessels. It also affects third-country fishing vessels seeking access to EU ports with SIOFA-area catches.
- Requires authorisation and SIOFA vessel-record listing before EU vessels may fish in the area.
- Limits bottom fishing, protects vulnerable marine ecosystems, and sets observer coverage and toothfish-area rules.
- Bans large-scale pelagic driftnets, deepwater gillnets, and targeting listed deep-sea sharks.
- Creates reporting, monitoring, port inspection, transshipment, IUU-listing, and high-seas boarding rules.
- Takes effect
- It enters into force on the twentieth day following publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Latest update
05 Jun 2026The most recent development in this bill's progress.
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations)
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations)
Documents
1 recentSourcesOEILEUR-LexEU Law Tracker