On Tuesday 17 June in Strasbourg, MEPs generally welcomed the content of the ‘European Oceans Pact’, even though differences of opinion emerged over the arrangements for fishing in marine protected areas.
The European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, stated that the Ocean Act will be presented “as quickly as possible”, but following the required procedures (see EUROPE 13654/3). It will be a legislative instrument based on the revision of Directive 2014/89/EU establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning. He also confirmed that the Commission was evaluating the regulation on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
As far as marine protected areas are concerned, the Commission will be helping Member States to speed up their efforts to achieve the EU’s 2030 biodiversity target of legally protecting 30% of their seas and strictly protecting 10%, Mr Kadis reiterated. He welcomed the announcements made by several countries in this area at the United Nations Ocean Conference, in Nice (see EUROPE 13659/6).
With regard to bottom trawling, which is also one of the issues to be tackled at the Nice summit, the Commissioner said “we are not in favour of a uniform approach” (see EUROPE 13658/9). Each marine protected area needs to be assessed on the basis of sound scientific data. “Effective management measures must be put in place, based on management plans tailored to each protected area. This implies, by definition, a case-by-case analysis”, explained Mr Kadis. He also advocated more selective fishing gear that is less harmful to the marine environment.
Differences of opinion on fishing. Speaking on behalf of the EPP, France’s Isabelle Le Callennec addressed Mr Kadis on the subject of marine protected areas: “We support you in your pragmatic, case-by-case approach, based on scientific advice and on the scale of marine territories”.
Silvia Sardone (PfE, Italian) called for ‘mirror clauses’ in all trade agreements to ensure that imports meet the same environmental standards as those within the EU.
Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR, Dutch) believes that new fishing grounds should not be closed, but rather that cleaner engines and more selective gear should be used. He opposed the end of the use of bottom gear in all protected areas.
According to Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, Swedish), it is, on the contrary, necessary to have the courage “to get rid of destructive practices such as bottom trawling”.
Emma Fourreau (The Left, French) said that, when Emmanuel Macron announces that he will protect 4% of marine areas from bottom trawling, “he is lying. This practice is already prohibited or impossible in the areas in question”.
For Christophe Clergeau (S&D, French), the ‘Ocean Act’ should arrive in 2026 and not in 2027, “otherwise we run the risk of not adopting it during this term”.
For Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew Europe, French), “we need to match our ambitions with resources”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)