The European Commission is preparing an initiative on energy transition in the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector, said the Commissioner for Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, on Monday 21 November.
The aim will be to strengthen the resilience of the sector by reducing dependence on fossil fuels (energy efficiency) and through clean and renewable energy sources.
Speaking to EU Ministers, the Commissioner said the initiative would have four main objectives: - initiate a dialogue between stakeholders (companies, authorities, fishers, NGOs, etc.); - work on the flaws that exist in technology; - provide sufficient funding; - ensuring a skilled workforce for the energy transition. The proposal will be made very soon, Mr Sinkevičius said.
Italy has planned to reduce CO2 emissions from fishing vessels and to support the sector in this transition.
The Spanish Minister, Luis Planas, supported the announced initiative by showing his support for new propulsion systems, more energy efficiency and new fishing vessels. Mr Planas called for a reform of the Common Fisheries Policy along these lines and plans to hold a debate on this issue in July 2023, under the six-month Spanish Presidency of the EU.
Germany felt that fisheries should embark on a green transition. The Netherlands noted that the Regulation on the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) has its limitations.
“The current CFP rules are not up to these challenges. Worse, they are obstacles to decarbonisation”, France said. The rules on gauges and power (engines and vessels) must be modernised. CFP tools need to be “re-evaluated”, concluded Hervé Berville, Secretary of State for the Sea. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)