Negotiations between the three EU institutions on fisheries technical measures, including the controversial issue of electro-pulse trawl fishing, did not reach a successful outcome at the trialogue on Thursday 4 October (see EUROPE 12110).
No date for the next trialogue was set but the Austrian presidency of the Council of the EU has given its assurance that the work will “continue” over coming weeks on this complicated issue. Talks may continue under Romanian presidency during the first half of 2019.
The electro-pulse fishing issue causes considerable division within the European Parliament, despite the clear vote in plenary, in January 2018, banning the practice.
European Parliament Rapporteur Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spain) is said to be more open than other MEPs on the question of authorising electro-trawl fishing by way of experiment.
Respect of European Parliament mandate. The compromise text tabled by the Austrian presidency provides for a ban on electro-trawl fishing. In addition, in the light of scientific opinions measuring the impact of this fishing technique on ecosystems, the Commission may put a proposal to the Council and to the European Parliament (in co-decision) authorising electric pulse trawl fishing. During that time, electric pulse trawling could continue within the current limit of 5% of beam trawl fleets of each member state, in particular to collect scientific data.
Greens/EFA Group draws red line. “After such a strong and serious vote, I do not understand why some colleagues and states do not make this ban a red line”, Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, France) told EUROPE. He criticises the compromise on the table which is an open door to authorising the technique. Targeting France, he denounces the “hypocrisy of some governments that do not defend the ban on fishing in closed rooms”. He expressed great “concern” about the fact that some parliamentarians wish to rescind from an emblematic European Parliament vote in favour of protecting biodiversity and non-industrial fishing. Dutch fishing boat owners are pressing in favour of authorising electro-pulse trawling. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)