One of the small pleasures in life is that every time I re-look at fisheries not much seems to have changed. As I have dipped in and out for 25 years this is a cause for concern.
In 2008, I worked dealing with illegal fishing of Blue Fin Tuna in the Mediterranean. A group of NGOs forced the Member States, especially France, and the Commission, to do the right thing.
At the time, sober-minded officials muttered conspiratorily of the links between the Marseille mafia, Colonel Ghadafi’s sons, and Europe’s fishing interests. NGO colleagues received very unsubtle death threats.
The Commission and the Member States acted because of the public outcry over Blue Fin Tuna’s demise. Soon, the public and media will see that the mistakes of the past have not been learned, and Europe will be ridiculed for their foolish inaction.
Today, (link) the Spanish fleet appears to be back to their old ways, involved in the overfishing of yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean. The Commission’s DG MARE knows about it. They seem to be dragging their feet doing anything about it. Pleas from Indian Ocean coastal states for Europe to bring their fleet under control are met with near colonial indifference.
The European Commission recently published a progress report on meeting the UN’s Sustainable Goals. You can find it here.
They rightfully highlight the important work that Europe ‘s taken to combat illegal (IUU) fisheries by third countries.
The IUU Regulation has been one of the most effective mechanisms to combat poor governance, overfishing and illegal fisheries in countries like Thailand, Ghana, and Belize. The Commission forced foreign governments to introduce the rule of law to their fisheries and deal with slavery and illegal fisheries.
The Commission’s SD Goals report is silent on the European Fleet links to IUU and overfishing in third country waters.
If the Commission were serious about the SD Goals, the first step would be to make sure that Europe’s fleet fish by the rules. If Spanish or other European vessels are overfishing, the Commission can deduct the overcatch from next year’s quota. They did it for Blue Fin Tuna.
Today, Europe is applying double standards and turning a blind eye to their own fleet, impoverishing the poorest of the poor by depriving them of food, work and a future.