Strasbourg, 16/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on 15 March, the European Parliament came down in favour of a subsidy or compensation mechanism for fishers who suffer “negative effects” from using environmentally-friendly fishing methods, particularly for those operating in the less developed regions. The slightly ambiguous position reflects the often contradictory interests between protecting the resource and maintaining professional activity which is currently in difficulty.
Parliament adopted the report form Sean O'Neachtain (UEN, Ireland), who welcomed the 2004 communication encouraging more environmentally-friendly fishing methods, and called on the European Commission to adopt a wider approach to protection of the marine environment and re-building of stocks, studying the impact on the resource of coastal and sea pollution, industrial and agricultural effluents, dragnetting and sea transport. MEPs pointed out that some pollutants cause considerable damage at different levels of the food chain, with serious consequences for commercial stocks to be protected.
The EP acknowledged the huge importance of environmental considerations, but considered that future fisheries management policies must not penalise economically and socially vital fishing activities. It recommended finding a balance between socio-economic requirements and environmental sustainability. Parliament considered that it was only by allowing fish to spawn and develop over the minimum period that satisfactory replenishment of fish stocks was possible. It called for the setting up of marine reserves, closure of fishing zones and other balanced management measures until marine habitats return to biologically safe limits, and stressed the need to reduce discards by adopting certain technical measures (periodic fishing bans, closure of zones and regulation on mesh sizes). The Commission is also asked to promote the adoption of the FAO's international action plan on the reduction of bycatches.