The members of the European Parliament’s fisheries committee called on Tuesday 15 May for measures to extend data collection on recreational fishing to encompass a greater number of fish stocks.
In adopting by 21 to 2, with no abstentions, the report by Norica Nicolai (ALDE, Romania), which will be put to a vote in the June plenary session, the fisheries committee also called for improved reporting of catches from recreational and leisure fishing.
Recreational fishing is increasing in popularity in most European countries and is having a significant impact on fish resources, in addition to its societal, economic, employment and environmental effects.
MEPs urge the Commission to evaluate and, if necessary, expand data collection for recreational fisheries to encompass more fish stocks and other marine organisms. They call on the Commission to propose a proper definition of recreational fisheries and state that improved reporting and monitoring of catches from recreational fisheries are also needed.
Inclusion in multiannual management plans. Whenever recreational catches have a significant impact on stocks, they should be included as an integral part in the ecosystem, social and economic considerations of the multiannual management plans, both for setting fishing opportunities and for the adoption of relevant technical measures, the MEPs state. They therefore call on the Commission, when needed, to include recreational fishing in the multiannual management plans already adopted or about to be adopted. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)