Brussels, 06/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - Renewing the fishing fleet without increasing fishing effort, decommissioning vessels, a clear definition of fleet overcapacity, rejection of transferable fishing concessions, and an ambitious social strand: these are the general thrusts of the rapporteur Alain Cadec (EPP, France) on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for 2014-2020, set out for the European Parliament fisheries committee on 30 May.
“We need more modern, safer, more selective and more environmentally-friendly vessels but without this increasing fishing effort. It's about fishing better, not more”, Cadec said. The EMFF is due to be adopted in the second half of this year and will determine the European funding allocated to the sector for the period from 2014 to 2020. Adoption of the EMFF regulation by the fisheries committee is scheduled for November 2012 and the plenary session vote will take place in January 2013.
In its proposal, the Commission has suggested a budget of €6.567 billion for the EMFF at current prices, split as follows: €5.52 billion for shared management measures; €1.047 billion for direct management measures (including €432 million for the integrated maritime policy).
The external strand and compulsory contributions to regional fisheries organisations will not be funded by the EMFF but by other budgetary sources.
Cadec says that his work on the EMFF is very closely tied to the content of the common fisheries policy (CFP) basic regulation. He notes that some strands in his position are incompatible with what is proposed by the Commission in the basic regulation. He argues, therefore, for substantial amendment of the basic regulation, otherwise, he says, the EMFF will be no more than a tool to get fishermen to leave the sector. This scenario is unacceptable to the rapporteur who believes that fishing is an economic and social activity essential to an independent food supply in the EU and crucial to coastal development.
He takes the view that achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY) as quickly as possible is one of the reform's priorities in order to maintain stocks and, as a consequence, fishing and jobs. Similarly, it is essential that discards be reduced substantially. This will involve, he says, investment in more selective fishing gear.
Fleet overcapacity. The Commission is using overcapacity in the EU's fishing fleet to justify its proposed reform of the CFP. Its goal is therefore to reduce the size of the fleet. The rapporteur wishes to draw attention to the fact that this conclusion is open to question: the Commission has never yet defined overcapacity, so it is difficult to prove. Even if, as is possible, fishing capacity in some regions is too high in comparison with the stocks available, this is still a localised situation and cannot in any way be applied to all the EU's fishing areas, nor be taken as a premise, Cadec argues in his working document. He calls on the Parliament therefore not to enter into reform on the basis of a simple statement that has no specific legal or scientific foundation. The capacity of the EU's fleet needs to be assessed in detail before any action on this is taken. Furthermore, contrary to what the Commission is saying, reducing this supposed fleet overcapacity would not have any effect on the quantities of fish caught, as quantities would still be determined by the TACs (total allowable catches) and quotas laid down every year. The rapporteur rejects this approach and would prefer to see viable environmental and social management made possible through strict control of fishing operations.
Several MEPs on the committee, such as Diane Dodds (non-attached, UK) and Raül Romeva y Rueda (Greens/EFA, Spain), backed the call for a clear definition of overcapacity. Carl Haglund (ALDE, Finland) suggested the definition could be based on the one used in the United States - “Where there is overfishing, there is overcapacity”. EU funds must be better monitored and checked to ensure they are being used to limit overcapacity, said Dolores Garcia-Hierro Carabello (S&D, Spain).
Transferable fishing concessions. The introduction of transferable fishing concessions forms the centrepiece of the measures proposed in the basic regulation to restrict the supposed overcapacity. This would inevitably lead to “fishing rights being concentrated in the hands of a small number of operators”, says Cadec. Small-scale and coastal fishing would be endangered and cases of abuse of a dominant position can also be expected, he argues. This proposal sounds the death knell for small-scale and coastal fishing and is therefore unacceptable, according to the rapporteur. Haglund takes the view, however, that the system of transferable fishing rights should be an option for those countries which would like to use it. Guido Milana (S&D, Italy) backed individual rights (that is, allocated to individual fishermen) but rejected the transferability of fishing rights.
The rapporteur sets store by the EMFF having an ambitious social strand, enabling the creation of good quality jobs. The entry of young people into the fishing sector should be encouraged, he says, as should vocational training, both for fishermen owning their own vessels and for salaried fishermen.
Modernisation of the fleet. Cadec would like the EMFF to make it possible to modernise the EU fleet, 50 % of which is over 25 years old. The fleet's dilapidated state poses serious problems as regards onboard safety and care of the marine environment. Strict conditions need to be applied to this modernisation to encourage “better fishing” rather than “more fishing”.
The rapporteur argues, too that investment in modernising vessels should also be supported, subject to very specific conditions: to improve working conditions, safety, restrict energy consumption, restrict pollution and promote more selective gear. Rather than radically banning discards, the rapporteur proposes aiming at progressively reducing discards to a significant extent.
Opinion within the committee is divided. Ulrike Rodust (S&D, Germany) said it would be “irresponsible” to finance modernisation of vessels. Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, Sweden) emphasised the need to rebuild stocks so that fishermen can earn money. The idea of “throwing subsidies everywhere” was criticised, too, by Chris Davies (ALDE, UK).
Scrapping of vessels. The Commission would like to bring funding for scrapping vessels to an end. The rapporteur points out, however, that, if there is no support at all for scrapping, dilapidated vessels will most likely stay in service. He therefore backs aid for scrapping being maintained on specific terms and with a specific condition. Aid would be granted solely to enable owners of old vessels to invest in new vessels that meet environmental and safety standards. Aid for scrapping would be conditional therefore upon investment in new vessels that are more energy-efficient, safer, more selective and maybe less powerful.
Support for temporary cessation of fishing. Cadec is unhappy that the EMFF makes no provision for any support for professional fishermen forced temporarily to suspend fishing, during the biological recovery period, for instance, or in the event of a major ecological accident or unfavourable weather conditions. He will therefore propose a measure enabling professional fishermen to receive assistance during periods when fishing is suspended.
Cyclical rises in fuel prices. Fuel price rises impact heavily on the operating costs of fishing businesses. The rapporteur is, therefore, in favour of introducing a temporary measure into the EMFF to compensate fishermen for this additional cost and enable them to continue fishing should there be a sudden rise in fuel prices. This measure should be complementary to de minimis state aid.
Investment in ports. Article 41 of the EMFF relates to investment in fishing ports with a view primarily to managing unwanted catches. The rapporteur is critical that the EMFF does not pay sufficient attention to other forms of investment that are vital to the competitiveness of ports and fish markets. He would therefore like the scope of this article to be extended to permit investment in all existing port infrastructure.
The rapporteur considers that controls must be stepped up to ensure CFP rules are observed, thereby making sure fishing is sustainable. He welcomes the Commission's proposals (Article 78) which aim high in their support for control activities.
Cadec stresses the importance of enhancing scientific knowledge on the quantitative and qualitative state of stocks so as to have good quality scientific advice available for all the stocks of fish marketed in the European Union. He is pleased to see the importance placed on partnerships between scientists and fishermen in regard to data collection, studies and the dissemination of knowledge and good practice. All means available should be used to reach the maximum sustainable yield as quickly as possible for all commercial species. Data collection plays a vital role in this. Thus, the rapporteur proposes raising the co-financing rate referred to in Article 79 to 75 %.
The Commission devotes an entire chapter to sustainable development of aquaculture. The EMFF will, then, be involved in innovation, entrepreneurship, human capital, environmental protection, public health and aquaculture stock insurance. The rapporteur welcomes these ambitious proposals.
Article 70 of the EMFF covers storage support. It provides for this support to decrease gradually and be phased out by 2019. The rapporteur does not agree with the plan to do away with storage support and would like to see this important instrument, which ensures goods are sold at a price that guarantees producers a livelihood, maintained. (LC/transl.rt)