Increasing the income of small-scale fishers, renewing the fleet with EU funds and improving the attractiveness of the profession are among the measures recommended by the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries on Wednesday 30 November, when it adopted the draft own-initiative report by João Pimenta Lopes (The Left, Portuguese) on the situation of small-scale fisheries in the European Union.
In adopting just over 20 compromise amendments, the Committee on Fisheries wants, among other things, new and shorter distribution channels to increase the possibility of direct sales to the consumer.
MEPs also call on national governments and the EU to defend or create markets of origin (the promotion of short commercial circuits for traditional products), to give more support to these products at fairs and restaurants and to demand the creation of campaigns to promote local fishery products.
The renewal of the fleet was identified by the Committee on Fisheries as another priority for which funding should be provided under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). MEPs recognise the need to make fishing vessels more environmentally friendly.
In addition, MEPs call on the European Commission to launch a comprehensive regional mapping exercise in order to have complete and accurate baseline data on small-scale fisheries with the aim of assessing the economic and social consequences of this type of fishing from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. The vote will take place in a future plenary.
Bluefin tuna. The Committee on Fisheries also approved the compromise text between the European Parliament and the EU Council on conservation and management measures for the conservation of Southern bluefin tuna (https://aeur.eu/f/4co ).
Elections. Asger Christensen (Renew Europe, Danish) was elected second Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Fisheries. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)