European fishers are ‘astonished’ at France’s unilateral decision to close the Bay of Biscay to fishing for a month, and are urging the European Commission to act
France has invoked Article 13 of the Common Fisheries Policy as an emergency measure from 22 January to 20 February to reduce bycatch of small marine mammals.
This decision will have ‘far-reaching consequences’ for the entire EU coastal community, says the European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) and Europêche, with more than 500 EU fishing vessels affected.
“How can France unilaterally close its waters to all EU-vessels with no prior consultation, a mere four days prior to the closure and without providing any compensation?” said EAPO president Esben Sverdrup-Jensen.
The French courts previously banned vessels over eight metres using pelagic trawlers, demersal pair trawlers, gillnetters trammel, set net and purse seines in the region. This ban has now been extended to other vessels, a decision which is in contravention of the CFP, say EAPO and Europêche, and undermines European unity.
In particular they question the ‘urgency’ cited by France, arguing that both ICES advice and the Commission’s timescales for revising recommendations do not suggest an immediate crisis.
Also coming under fire are the arrangements for compensation which EAPO and Europêche say is provided only by the French government and therefore not equally available to all.
“This decision undermines the trust our fishers place in the Common Fisheries Policy,” said Europêche President Javier Garat.
“The Commission, as guardian of the treaties, must step in to secure that EU rules are applied correctly.”
