The European Bottom Fisheries Alliance (EBFA) is calling for a crucial vote on the future of EU fishing to be postponed.
Member states will be deciding today (22 May 2024) whether to create ‘reference areas’ free from any human involvement which would mean the closure of 10% of fishing zones.
The proposed closure is in response to an EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive from 2008 aimed at achieving ‘good environmental status’ (GES) of the seabed. EBFA points out that, despite varied work and numerous discussions, scientific experts have been unable to define what ‘GES’ means.
“Considering the absence of solid scientific support for this approach, this experiment cannot be called anything else but a shot in the dark,” said Iván López, chair of EBFA.
“The European Commission should have initiated a new debate with the European institutions instead of experimenting with policies.”
Other environmental policies such as Natura 2000 or Nature Restoration Law define ‘good’ condition differently, argues EBFA, which accuses the Commission of making decisions based on ‘political arbitrariness’.
It says that the proposal is poorly defined and too broad in its impact as it will apply to all bottom fishing gear regardless of characteristics. Moreover, it is disproportionate to lose fishing grounds without good reason when so much of the sea is already being designated for offshore wind.
Finally EBFA argues that, despite a legal requisite, the socio-economic impacts of such closures has not been assessed.
“It is clear that the current push [for such measures], including the proposed evaluation of the CFP, is politically motivated,” said López.
“These decisions should be made by the new Commission after the elections, based on a new political mandate and analysed by the new Parliament.”
