On Monday 10 October, the European Commission demonstrated that it was not willing to back down in the face of MEPs’ protests against measures closing access in 87 sensitive areas to all bottom fishing gear in EU waters in the North East Atlantic (see EUROPE 13022/13).
The representative of the European Commission justified the merits of the regulation, which entered into force on 9 October, and noted that an annual review is planned for areas that contain vulnerable marine ecosystems. New scientific advice is expected to be presented in November and the act could be reviewed, the European Commission said. The Commission took the intensity of feeling into account when drafting the text, the institution argued.
The areas in question had been made known since January 2021, insisted the European Commission, which also said it had taken account of scientific advice “without ignoring the economic impact”.
Spain is in revolt. Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spanish) strongly protested against the text and called for the measures to be suspended.
Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spanish) said that the data in the delegated act dates back to 2011. The European Commission is accusing Spain of not having provided the data for the 2020–2021 period. However, according to Ms Aguilera, the data was provided. “Why ban all bottom gears below 400 metres?” protested Ms Aguilera, who is against the introduction of longline fishing in the delegated act.
Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (Renew Europe, Spanish) felt that there was legal uncertainty and that the European Commission should have carried out an impact assessment on the socio-economic effects of these measures.
Ana Miranda (Greens/EFA, Spanish) defended the use of bottom longlines, which is not trawling.
Spain is preparing an appeal to the Court of Justice of the EU against this text (see EUROPE 13036/33).
Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA, French) defended the Commission’s text regarding the list of vulnerable marine ecosystems that are protected from deep sea fisheries. These measures have been requested for a long time (since 2016), she noted.
Link to the text: https://aeur.eu/f/3ig (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)