Brussels, 22/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - Most members of the European Parliament (EP) fisheries committee took the view during discussions on Tuesday 20 December that a ban, pure and simple, on discarding fish at sea is not the best solution. It would be better, they suggested, firstly, to strengthen measures to improve selectivity of fishing gear so that under-sized fish or unwanted species because of their lower market value can escape from the nets.
In its proposal on the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP) the Commission calls for a ban on discards and a reduction in unwanted by-catches. The proposal would force vessels to land all catches of specified stocks, under the terms of a precise implementation timetable along with a number of accompanying measures.
“23% of fish caught are thrown back into the sea and everyone agrees that things have to change”, stated Ulrike Rodust (S&D, Germany), rapporteur on the CFP reform proposal. She says that the most important thing is to increase the selectivity of fishing gear (so that selection is made in the water and not on board) as a simple ban on discards raises a whole series of problems, especially for fishermen. It would mean that unwanted fish would have to be kept and processed, new storage capacities found on vessels and port facilities adapted. “A discard ban is not the answer and keeping things as they are is not the answer. If we have no clear, legally binding objective in the regulation, nothing will happen”, Rodust argued. Thus, she went on, the selectivity of fishing gear will have to be improved, with incentives to fishermen. She agreed that the ultimate objective must be the elimination of discards, with perhaps an exception being made for the Mediterranean, though, here too, there would have to be am massive reduction in discards. She spoke of financial assistance and a realistic and reasonable transitional period for ending discards. She also highlighted the need for scientific advice.
There is also a problem over the allocation of quotas for by-catches (species not specifically targeted but caught in the nets). “If by-catch quotas are poorly allocated, it will mean that fish which could be eaten will be discarded”, Rodust said. In its proposal, the Commission puts forward a suggestion for by-catch fishing opportunities being reserved under total fishing opportunities. Raül Romeva i Rueda (Greens/EFA, Spain) argued that a discard ban must be an instrument. “The ultimate aim must not be to legalise discards but to avoid there being a need for them”, he said. The risk in the Commission proposal is that the ultimate aim is forgotten, with concentration being put on look-good measures, rather than banning discards, he stated. Priority, he argued, must be given to more selective gear and to discouraging by-catches.
Fishermen hate discarding fish but this was something imposed on them by decisions (on the level of fishing quotas) taken in Brussels, said Struan Stevenson (ECR, UK). Discards must be avoided, he stressed.
Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, Sweden) noted that Sweden, Denmark and Norway had unilaterally decided to ban discards in Skagerrak for 1 January 2013. There has to be a level playing field for all fishermen, they all have to use the same selective gear, she said. She argued that it would be counterproductive to increase total allowable catches (TACs) in prevision of by-catch quotas: “We have to eliminate unwanted catches and let the fish remain in the sea”. She admitted her concern at the Commission proposals seeking to help fishermen make use of discards.
Ian Hudghton (Greens/EFA, UK) suggested that this was a complex issue and that complex solutions to it were required. He advocated incentives for fishermen and other measures, such as selectivity of gear, proper reporting and real-time closures. Notice has to be taken of progress made at local level: lessons have to be learned from what has been done in Scotland, where there has been a huge drop in discards, he said. He pointed out, too, that Scottish fishermen had highlighted the complexity of the Commission's proposal and had warned that discards at sea could very well become discards on land (Ed: if fishermen are required to land all their catch, including what would have been discarded). The Commission has to move away from the simplistic approach that it is currently adopting, he stated.
Pat the Cope Gallagher (ALDE, Ireland) criticised the proposal on ending discards. “Banning discards would be a mistake. We have to make sure that undersized fish aren't caught. That's the key point”¸ he argued.
Guido Milana (S&D, Italy) felt the Commission's approach was “essentially wrong”. “The issue is how to reduce the proportion of fish caught then discarded, for example, through stricter rules on fishing gear. That is the basic question, even before thinking about how we are going to solve the problem of discards”, he said. (LC/transl.rt)