Crucially, MEPs have backed plans to require sustainable levels of fishing from 2015 on, to enable fish stocks to be restored to abundant levels by 2020. ... Regrettably, laggards in Council are looking to postpone any fundamental reform until after 2020. This may be too late for many fish stocks. Hopefully, today's vote will provide the impetus needed to ensure this historic opportunity is not lost.
Greens celebrate the EU vote in favor of an improved Common Fisheries Policy today at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.The European Fisheries Policy has finally been put onto a sustainable footing after a successful vote today in the European Parliament. However the proposals must be taken on by the EU member states when they decide on the proposals in Council.
Of the proposals, the highest profile has been the issue of discards, which saw tons of good fish being thrown dead overboard every day as quotas prevented the harvest from being landed. In addition, sustainable fisheries plans are part of the proposals.
Read the complete Greens|European Free Alliance press release, Historic EP vote throws down gauntlet to EU governments to ensure more sustainable CFP here...
"MEPs have today voted to finally put the EU's fisheries policy on a sustainable footing, addressing overfishing in Europe and beyond," said Green fisheries spokesperson Isabella Lövin (MEP, Sweden). "This historic vote, the first time parliament has had a role as co-decider on EU fisheries policy(1), throws down the gauntlet to EU governments, who will meet in Council this month to decide their position on CFP reform.
"Crucially, MEPs have backed plans to require sustainable levels of fishing from 2015 on, to enable fish stocks to be restored to abundant levels by 2020. ... Regrettably, laggards in Council are looking to postpone any fundamental reform until after 2020. This may be too late for many fish stocks. Hopefully, today's vote will provide the impetus needed to ensure this historic opportunity is not lost."
While the decision to create sustainable fishing seems obvious, it has been a hard uphill fight. In June 2013, the Greens were critical of a decision by EU fishery ministers to delay an end to overfishing (see Why saving fish will bring profits to fishermen read more here ...)
The ministers have argued that ending overfishing would have socio-economic consequences. But this is a flawed argument.
"EU fisheries ministers must now heed this vote and support a sustainable CFP reform starting immediately, not in 2020," said Lövin. "This will allow the recovery of fish stocks to begin as soon as possible, which is in the interest of the fishing industry, its employees and our seas."
In June, the Greens forecast that essential changes were possible as the EU was reforming its common fisheries policy. The Greens have advocated following scientific advice in decision making and reducing the capacity of fishing fleets, starting with removing the vessels that fish in the most damaging way.
Footnote: (1) The Lisbon Treaty gave the European Parliament a co-decision role on EU fisheries policy for the first time.