A crucial vote on the future of fisheries will take place on Wednesday 22 May in the Marine Strategy Coordination Group.
As part of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Member States must vote on a proposal from the European Commission to establish totally no-fishing zones covering 10% of EU waters.
That this potential closure would be decided not to protect environmentally sensitive habitats, but to “achieve political objectives”, is the concern expressed by the European Bottom Fisheries Alliance (EBFA).
The Commission is proposing a new objective aimed at placing 10% of the EU’s seabed in “reference zones” free from any human pressure in order to assess its natural variability. EBFA is calling for the vote to be postponed due to the lack of an assessment of the impact of the measure on fisheries.
The 2008 EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive aims to protect the marine environment and achieve good environmental status in all sea basins, based on a number of qualitative indicators. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)