On Friday 14 November, the European Commission published guidelines to help EU countries support small-scale fishermen and improve transparency in the allocation of fishing opportunities.
Coastal fishermen are more affected by the energy crisis, natural fluctuations in stocks, competition for marine space, climate change, degradation of the marine environment, invasive species and unfair competition from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, explains the institution.
The Vade mecum (https://aeur.eu/f/jff ) and its annex (https://aeur.eu/f/jfh ) on applying Articles 16 and 17 of Regulation 1380/2013 on the common fisheries policy (CFP) invite EU countries to reflect on the methods and criteria they use to allocate quotas, including examples of best practice. Some of these practices are particularly well suited to the specific needs of coastal and small-scale fishermen. Small-scale coastal fishing accounts for almost 75% of all fishing vessels registered in the EU and almost half of all jobs in the fishing industry.
The Commission is encouraging EU countries to improve good governance in the allocation of quotas, through transparency and communication, ensuring that information is accurate and allocation methods appropriate. Quota allocation can be used to “create incentives for fishing vessels to deploy selective fishing gears, thereby encouraging and rewarding more sustainable behaviour and solutions”, according to the text. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)