The French Minister for the Sea, Annick Girardin, declared, on Thursday 3 February, that she wished, as President-in-Office of the Fisheries Council of the EU, to launch discussions on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
In addition, when presenting the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council to the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries, the French minister explained that she would try to get the EU institutions to reach an agreement on the fisheries control regulation, but there are many debates on this sensitive issue.
Ms Girardin said she also hopes for “calmer” discussions and “more constructive” exchanges with the British in the context of the implementation of the ‘fisheries chapter’ of the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Changing the paradigm. The European Commission must adopt a report by the end of 2022 evaluating the functioning of the CFP. Annick Girardin wants to launch a reflection on the future of the CFP. On 21 February, the subject of scientific assessment of fish will be discussed in the margins of the ‘Agriculture-Fisheries’ Council of the EU. “Sixty percent of stocks are within the maximum sustainable yield (MSY), but we need to be more ambitious than that”, the minister said. She defends a new horizon: obtaining a more productive sea, by changing the paradigm. Ms Girardin mentioned the need to build a fisheries management system that better integrates the ecological dimension of ecosystems and to move from an approach by species to an approach by maritime territories.
France will also organise debates in the EU Council on the Commission’s future action plan for the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems.
Controls. Responding to questions from several MEPs on the chances of completing the dossier during this semester, Annick Girardin said she would organise the continuation of the trilogues, to move forward more quickly with the review of controls (see EUROPE 12852/9). In particular, she has defended: - the obligation for vessels over 9 metres to be equipped with a VMS system; - a 10% margin of tolerance in the fishing logs; - the installation of on-board cameras for vessels over 24 metres.
Brexit. Girardin called for a “fair” application of the EU/UK trade agreement. Discussions are to be held in the ‘Specialised Committee on Fisheries’, notably on the notification of technical measures, the management of stocks in mixed fisheries and the management of non-quota species, she said.
Ninety-four percent of the licences applied for were awarded to French vessels by the British. And those who have not obtained the rights will be supported financially, Annick Girardin said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)