The draft opinion by Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spain) on the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 was criticised on Thursday 14 January in the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries (see EUROPE 12636/10).
Mr Mato’s draft opinion is addressed to the Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, which will adopt a report on biodiversity by 2030.
Mr Mato deplored the fact that the strategy makes fishing “the great enemy” of biodiversity. He proposed that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) be designated as areas “accessible for fishing and aquaculture activities”. The rapporteur also believes that MPAs are an instrument, not a target to be reached as a percentage.
Manuel Pizarro (S&D, Italy) considered that MPAs should not be merely theoretical and advocated setting very concrete objectives. “You have to be ambitious”, he said. He was supported on this point by Pierre Karleskind (Renew Europe, France), chair of this committee. Karleskind advocated ambitious and binding MPA targets.
Benoît Biteau (Greens/EFA, France) regretted that marine ecosystems continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate. In particular, he advocated the establishment of new MPAs. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)