Brussels, 15/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 15 October, 200 scientists from across the EU called on the European Parliament to reject any and all subsidies for the construction of new fishing vessels in the vote scheduled for 23 October. These public subsidies are accused of encouraging overfishing.
In a letter published by the environmental NGO Oceana, these researchers and marine academics urge MEPs to seize the opportunity presented by this vote to change the course of European fishing. They call on Parliament to vote against subsidies that harm the environment, such as those for modernisation of engines or the construction of new vessels. This type of subsidy has contributed to the increase in the fishing capacity of the European fleet, they say. The signatories of the call say the fishing capacity of EU vessels is now two or three times greater than what is required for sustainable fisheries, while 39% of stocks in the North-East Atlantic and over 88% in the Mediterranean are overfished.
Parliament is due to vote on 23 October on the report by Alain Cadec (EPP, France) on the European maritime and fisheries fund (EMFF) for 2014-2020. On 10 July, the parliament's fisheries committee called for retention of aid for renewal of the fleet and changing engines, raising outrage among environmental NGOs and even among a section of the political classes (see EUROPE 10885).
The scientists believe that the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP), which has already been agreed, and the EMFF provide the EU with the opportunity to play a role in ending overfishing and significantly reducing subsidies to the fishing sector. They are calling for the EU to devote more funding to monitoring compliance with management rules, data gathering, scientific research and assessment of stocks.
Cadec says that aid for the construction of new vessels would be very limited (replacing vessels of less than 12 metres in length and over 35 years old). He argues, too, for the EU to help fishermen adapt to the reformed CFP (with its phased ban on discards and respect for maximum sustainable yield). The amendment on aid for the construction of new vessels is not certain to be passed by the plenary session, having already been hotly disputed in committee. (LC/transl.fl)