In a press release published on Tuesday 12 June, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WFF) states that the proposal on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) post-2020 falls short of EU sustainability objectives (see EUROPE 12039).
The environmental organisation believes the proposal will not allow the EU to keep its commitments in favour of sustainable business models for fishers and for fisheries management to ensure good environmental status of marine waters.
The WWF commends the Commission’s intention to simplify access to funds so that they may be properly distributed and spent by member states. However, clear mechanisms are lacking to verify money is spent where it is most needed and to ensure that financial aid is “allocated for the sustainable management of the ocean to improve marine biodiversity and ocean resilience”, WWF explains.
“This proposal is a failed opportunity to address the real drivers of unsustainable fisheries”, said Samantha Burgess, Head of Marine Policy at the WWF. The priority, WWF says, should be to reduce the environmental footprint of fisheries and increase the efficacy of marine protected areas.
Marine protected areas. The WWF deems it is promising to see that the proposed EMFF supports allocating funding to improve the management and restoration of marine protected areas. “However, it is unclear how the Commission is going to ensure that money is actually being invested to protect these sites”, the organisation says with regret.
Fishing capacity. The WWF hails the provisions on preferential access to funds for small-scale fishing vessels (under 12 metres) that have historically been at a disadvantage when securing funding. However, the WWF is not pleased to see that: - certain small-scale fisheries subsidies are granted for the acquisition of second hand vessels; - support continues to be allowed for the replacement of engines. This, fears the WWF, “risks increasing fishing capacity in unsustainable fisheries”.
Finally, the European Commission has re-introduced the possibility of “controversial payments” to fishers to destroy their vessels (aid for “scrapping”). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)