CFP Reform’s First Hurdle
The Environment Committee this morning considered 550 amendments concerning the Commission’s proposals for Common Fisheries Policy reform.
MEPs voted 50 – 0 (with 8 abstentions) in favour of an Opinion that supports the Commission’s key proposals and called for the measures listed below.
Summary
MEPs endorsed the Commission’s main proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy – without any votes against – and called for:
– setting a target of achieving above maximum sustainable yield in all fisheries by 2015 (no overfishing)
– long term management plans to be agreed for all fisheries, based on best scientific evidence or the precautionary principle
– restrictions on the degree to which Fisheries Ministers can set quotas that ignore scientific evidence
– requiring all fish caught to be landed and ending discards, to promote the use of more selective fishing gear
– transferable fishing concessions to be established only on a voluntary basis by Member States
– an assessment of overcapacity in the fishing fleet (too many boats chasing too few fish), and measures to reduce it
– full transparency regarding the allocation of fishing rights
– a fairer allocation of fishing rights to benefit small-scale fishermen
– the establishment of fisheries reserves
– ambitious long-term goals to restore stocks to levels that can produce the maximum economic yield for fishermen
– support for regionalised decision-making by encouraging MS to cooperate together when they are part of the same sea-basin
– strict sanctions against Member States that fail to comply with the requirements of the Regulation
Where Next
Attention now turns to the Fisheries Committee.
Mrs Rodust, the German Social Democrat, has tabled a pragmatic report.
It remains in doubt if the MEPs on the fishing committee will vote in the interests of the few or the many. The last time the fisheries committee ignored the views of the majority, the full parliament voted against the fisheries committee.