In adopting its position on the proposal on access restrictions to EU waters, the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries voted on Tuesday 12 July in favour of banning demersal seines in French territorial waters in the Channel.
The measure in question aims to authorise France to ban a harmful fishing technique, the Danish seine, near the French coast. An amendment to this effect, tabled by Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA, France), was adopted by a narrow majority (12 votes for the amendment, 11 against) in a previous vote in the European Parliament Committee on Fisheries, after a previous debate on the legislative proposal (see EUROPE 12939/4).
The NGO Bloom immediately welcomed the position of the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries, ahead of negotiations with the EU Council, to ban demersal seines in French territorial waters.
According to Bloom, demersal seining is a fishing technique “similar to bottom trawling (and) was developed by the Dutch industry and appeared in the Channel at the end of the 2000s”. It added: “The demersal seine is so devastating for marine ecosystems and fish populations that French fishers who converted their engines to the technique - in order to remain competitive - are now at the forefront of those calling for a ban”.
The rapporteur on this matter in the European Parliament, Pierre Karleskind (Renew Europe, France), requested and obtained a mandate to start negotiations directly with the EU Council Presidency, without waiting for a plenary vote in the European Parliament on the proposal on water access restrictions (see other news). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)