On Wednesday 3 June, the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries called for a review of the multiannual management plan for fish stocks in the Mediterranean.
Carmen Crespo (EPP, Spanish), the rapporteur on this matter, has pledged “to bring about changes in the industry that have long been overdue and to move towards an urgent review of this multiannual plan”.
“Without an updated framework, decisions on quotas will be even harder to make at the end of the year,” she warned. Ms Crespo considered that the Mediterranean fisheries industry has suffered the effects of an “excessively restrictive regulation, which has hit the fleet hard, leading to a drastic reduction in activity and very low profitability for people working in the fishing industry”. Fishing opportunities have fallen by 44% over the last seven years, from 230 days in 2019 to 130 days in 2026. Some vessels now only operate for three months a year.
Ms Crespo suggested several options to be considered with a view to reform: deleting Article 43 so that fishing effort no longer depends on a single species, limiting annual reductions to 20%, guaranteeing a minimum of 180 fishing days per vessel, allowing for greater multiannual flexibility regarding quotas and ensuring better integration of scientific and socio-economic data into decision-making. She concluded that the transition in the Mediterranean cannot take place without adequate funding.
Éric Sargiacomo (S&D, French) struck a less alarmist tone. Scientists are now seeing a slight overall improvement in the assessed stocks, and sustainable management is beginning to yield results (fishing pressure has fallen by 50% since 2012), he argued. However, he acknowledged that the social dimension of the common fisheries policy (CFP) remains a major cause for concern. According to him, the review of the plan should enable us to move towards “greater sustainability, selectivity and prosperity, without confusing speed with haste”.
Lastly, the European Commission encouraged all stakeholders, as part of a recently launched consultation, to provide information on the state of the sector. “Based on the information received, the Commission will continue to consider the matter and take decisions,” it concluded. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)