The European Commission published a communication last week on the role of fisheries management in implementing an ecosystem approach to marine management.
The Commission has outlined how the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) can help implement a more joined-up approach to protect the ecological balance of our oceans as a sustainable source of wealth and well-being for future generations.
The key objectives are to minimise the impacts of fishing on the wider marine environment by reducing the overall level of fishing pressure, and to ensure that fisheries measures are used fully to support the cross-sectoral approach defined by the EU's Marine Strategy and Habitats Directives. The Commission says that this should ensure protection for vulnerable habitats and sensitive species, prevent disruptions to the food chain, safeguard the integrity of key ecosystem processes, and thus create a healthy marine environment which will positively support a thriving fishing industry, alongside other sustainable human activities.
Commenting on the approach set out in the communication, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Joe Borg said, "Protecting the integrity of our marine environment is not only an end in itself, it is also an essential precondition for a sustainable, forward-looking maritime sector. Without healthy ecosystems, fish stocks cannot thrive, and fisheries cannot be profitable. This is why the application of an ecosystem approach results in a win-win situation. "
Full details of the communication can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press_corner/press_releases/2008/com08_31_en.htm
