European Commission Proposes Fisheries Fix To Council & Parliament

BRUSSELS, July 13, 2011 -

Uta Bellion, director of the Pew Environment Group’s European
Marine Programme and coordinator of OCEAN2012, issued the following
statement on the European Commission’s proposal for reform of the
European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

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“The Commission’s proposal includes solid targets for the
recovery of European fish stocks, including requiring that measures
be taken in accordance with the best available scientific advice.
This could bring an end to overfishing in EU waters and by its
fleet internationally.

“However, the Commission’s proposal falls short in the way it
addresses overcapacity, which its own 2009 Green Paper identified
as a key driver of overfishing. Instead of mandating a capacity
reduction, it aims to decrease the EU fishing fleet by what amounts
to the quasi-privatisation of EU fish resources. This type of
approach has a mixed track record in other countries and would fail
to provide compensation to the public for the loss of communal
fishery resources or to reward those who fish in the most
environmentally and socially responsible way.

“Fisheries ministers have failed to manage these critical
resources since the CFP was established more than 30 years ago.
Short-term economic interests have taken precedence as the
Commission has struggled to address the concerns and issues
outlined in its 2009 Green Paper. The European Parliament must work
with the EU Council to end this trend and take the lead in
delivering responsible and sustainable fisheries for Europe.”

1. OCEAN2012 is an alliance of organisations dedicated to
transforming European fisheries policy to stop overfishing, end
destructive fishing practices and deliver fair and equitable use of
healthy fish stocks.

OCEAN2012 was initiated, and is coordinated, by the Pew
Environment Group, the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable
Trusts, a nongovernmental organisation working to end overfishing
in the world’s oceans.

The steering group of OCEAN2012 consists of the Coalition for
Fair Fisheries Arrangements, Ecologistas en Accion, the Fisheries
Secretariat, nef (new economics foundation), the Pew Environment
Group and Seas At Risk.

2. OCEAN2012 would like the CFP to:

• Restore and maintain fish stocks above levels capable of
  producing maximum sustainable yield by 2015, in line with the
  Johannesburg agreement of 2002.
• Give those who fish in the most environmentally and socially
  sustainable way preferential access to fish resources.
• End environmentally harmful subsidies and allocate public funds
  only to activities that contribute to public goods and
  services.

3. OCEAN2012’s vision for reform of the CFP can be found at href="www.ocean2012.eu/">www.OCEAN2012.eu.

For further information please contact:
Mike Walker, +32 476 622575, href="mailto:mwalker@pewtrusts.org">mwalker@pewtrusts.org

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