The European Commission defended, on Thursday 20 October in Strasbourg, in the face of attacks from mainly Spanish MEPs, the adoption of measures closing 87 sensitive areas of the Atlantic to all bottom dredging gear.
The EU Commissioner for Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, was unable to participate in the plenary debate due to illness.
On behalf of the Commission, Commissioner Helena Dalli clarified that all scientific information had to be assessed by all relevant bodies. The recent Spanish data will be taken into account in the next scientific opinion, expected in December, she said (see EUROPE 13039/12).
Why not wait two more months, as requested by MEPs? The Commission has waited years for Member States to send in the correct data for the scientific opinion, the Commissioner replied. “Waiting any longer would only add delay to delay. The whole adoption process would have started again from scratch, with a new two-month notification period to the UK”, insisted Ms Dalli.
She also added that “the Commission was waiting for the new scientific advice before saying what our attitude would be”.
The Commissioner stated as well that “for two years, the Commission has been organising meetings, particularly with stakeholders”.
MEPs regretted the lack of a study on the socio-economic effects of such a ban. “But the basis is scientific advice and different management options, taking into account the intensity of the fishing effort and the socio-economic impact”, Ms Dalli replied.
“We are still waiting for a formal assessment from Spain of the socio-economic impact”, Ms Dalli said. The majority of the 337 Spanish ships affected could continue their activities, according to the information gathered. Above all, “these 87 areas will be able to live again and our fishermen will benefit the most”, concluded Dalli.
The Spaniards are taking up the cause. Spanish MEPs of the Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries, including Gabriel Mato (EPP), Clara Aguilera (S&D), Izaskun Bilbao (Renew Europe), Jorge Buxadé Villalba (ECR), but also João Pimenta Lopes (The Left, Portuguese) and Seán Kelly (EPP, Irish) asked the Commission to suspend the regulation in question until the latest data, expected in December, is taken into account.
“Why didn’t you take into account that two of the four countries concerned voted against in the EU Council and nine abstained? Doesn’t this result at least call for a reflection”, argued Mr Mato. Mr Buxadé Villalba called the decision “irrational, arbitrary and disproportionate”.
Rosanna Conte (ID, Italian) feared a “precedent for other seas”, including the Mediterranean.
Where is the drama? Deep-sea trawling destroys marine biodiversity, said Caroline Roose (Greens/EFA, French). Shipowners have had six years to prepare, Roose said, referring to the entry into force in 2016 of the regulation establishing specific conditions for fishing deep-sea stocks in the North-East Atlantic.
“Where is the drama?”, asked Catherine Chabaud (Renew Europe, French), for whom this measure is also relevant for fishermen, as it consists in moving the fishing action and avoiding well-defined areas.
Younous Omarjee (The Left, French) accused the French and Spanish governments of playing into the hands of industrial fishing lobbies. Marine ecosystems are in great danger today, he said, in support of the Commission’s action.
Grace O’Sullivan (Greens/EFA, Irish) supported the restrictions.
Meeting with Mr Sinkevičius. EU fishermen’s representatives and Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius met in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the effects of the controversial regulation. The sector was represented by Iván López Van der Veen, President of the European Bottom Fishing Alliance and Javier Garat, President of Europêche. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)