Compliance evaluation is a key element in assessing the effectiveness of fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) programmes and by extension the policies to which they relate. Trends in compliance can be very informative, both from a risk management perspective and also to gauge the rate at which industry is able to adapt to new policy or control measures. There are various ways in which compliance can be examined and assessed; their applicability and validity being dependent on data quality, fisheries, time series, the regulatory environment and the objectives of the assessment. Compliance evaluation is of particular value where compliance is used as a benchmarking tool by fisheries management agencies. Compliance may be expressed in several ways, both graphically and statistically. Perhaps the most appealing and visually comprehensible manner in which to express compliance is in the form of an index. The EFCA has been working since 2013 with the development of compliance evaluation methodologies, and is currently analysing with Member States the possibilities for an evaluation of compliance with the the landing obligation.
Baltic Sea
Executive Summary BS LO Compliance Evaluation Report 2017-2018 - Final version May 2021
North Sea
Executive Summary NS LO Compliance Evaluation Report 2016-2017 - Final version August 2019
North Western Waters
Executive Summary NWW LO Compliance Evaluation Report 2016-2017 - Final version August 2019
Pelagics
The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) in cooperation with the Member States Control Expert Groups (CEGs) has carried out an evaluation of compliance with the Landing Obligation in selected fisheries in the North Sea and North Western Waters. The evaluation was performed to report the findings over the period 2015-2017 for mackerel fisheries and over 2016-2017 for significant demersal fisheries in these areas.