Brussels, 18/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - In a speech delivered in Berlin on Thursday 17 March on the subject of reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP), Maria Damanaki, European Fisheries Commissioner, defends individual transferable quotas (ITQ). These, she said, allow the capacity of the fleet (i.e. fishing boats in service) to be reduced without cost. Damanaki is “determined to make our policy greener, simpler and leaner, more modern”. This would make it possible to have a cheaper CFP.
The commissioner took the view that progress towards sustainable fishing has so far been too slow. First of all, she said, it is necessary to “enhance the aspect of decentralised decision making. (…) Member states are not children and the EU should be no babysitter. It would then be up to member states to choose the mix of measures that best achieves those EU objectives in each region or sea basin”.
Maria Damanaki went on to say that it is also necessary to switch to a sustainable exploitation of our seas and to an ecosystem-based approach to fishing. “We have to get back to healthy stocks; we have to protect threatened species and vulnerable habitats, and we have to stop discarding”, was her recommendation. “I know full well that a ban is not going to be easy and I can promise you that it will not come overnight”, she added. On 3 May, she will be hearing the opinion voiced by the fishing industry during a meeting in Brussels.
Market policy. The Commission would like producer organisations to actively manage resources by preparing and implementing sustainable fishing plans and planning and steering market demand. The “market observatory” that the Commission plans to set up will provide the industry with regular, up-to-date information on which to base its marketing strategies.
Individual transferable quotas. ITQs have reduced overcapacity, increased profits and given the sector better stability for long-term planning in a number of member states. ITQs would not be property but user rights, because the resource remains a public good. Fishermen who want to leave the sector could sell their user right at the end of their career.
In order to reassure the countries that are hostile to this idea of individual transferable quotas, Maria Damanaki said that the transferability of quotas would be limited to the national level (Spanish fishermen could not therefore buy up Irish quotas, for example) in order to keep relative stability intact (allocation of quotas between countries according to fishing historical precedence). Thus, “selling and buying nationally would contribute to reducing fleet capacity, without affecting the quota assigned to the member state”, the fisheries commissioner said.
The next generation of Community fisheries funding can therefore focus on smart, green, inclusive and sustainable growth instead. In other words, the commissioner announces the end of subsidies for the scrapping of fishing vessels and the modernisation of boats. “We will have one single fund for scientific needs, governance expenditure (such as regional councils and advisory organisations) and also control and enforcement”, the commissioner said.
“We will prepare an ambitious proposal for a wholesome reform” of the CFP, the commissioner concluded. (L.C./transl.jl)