On 7 June, in Strasbourg, the European Parliament called for a fairer and more transparent system for the allocation of fishing quotas by EU countries.
In adopting (482 votes in favour, 103 against and 47 abstentions) the report by Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA, France) on the implementation of Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) regulation, MEPs stressed that Member States must use transparent and objective criteria, including “environmental, social or economic criteria” for the allocation of fishing opportunities at national level (see EUROPE 12951/18).
In fact, at present, historical catch volumes remain the main criterion for the allocation of fishing quotas. While this criterion offers economic stability in the fisheries sector, it can also encourage negative trends such as concentration in the sector.
During the debate the day before, the rapporteur, Ms Roose, stressed that “it is the small-scale and artisanal fishermen who are once again being harmed”, by this concentration.
Criteria favouring fishing techniques with a reduced environmental impact can help restore fish populations to a sustainable level and improve biodiversity protection, claim the MEPs.
They call on EU governments to publish their methods of allocating fishing quotas. The European Parliament invites the Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against Member States that do not respect their obligations regarding transparency in the allocation of fishing opportunities.
It also calls on the European Commission to analyse the implementation of the relevant articles of the CFP in its report on the functioning of the CFP, due by the end of 2022. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)