The European Parliament and Commission are at odds over plans to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas.
MEPs argue that the Commission’s approach is ‘oversimplified’ in its phasing out of mobile bottom fishing in all MPAs by 2030 and calls for ‘balance’ in the definition of these areas.
They say that the Commission’s plan competes with other priorities and complain that strengthening economic growth and safeguarding employment have not been considered.
Bottom trawling nets 25% of catch and banning it would have serious economic consequences and hinder shellfish farming, says MEPs. Closing zones to this practice would also put pressure on other fisheries, they say.
Reform the common fisheries policy
Ministers are also urging the Commission to reform the CFP where necessary, saying that its landing obligation is overly onerous and instead a ‘pragmatic’ approach to bycatches should be taken whereby quotas can be swapped.
Another element of the CFP coming under fire is the maximum sustainable yield model which MEPs argue is impossible to apply in multi-specific fisheries. They also argue that total allowance catch limits should run for longer than one year to give more certainty to fishers.
Finally MEPs are calling for better information for consumers such as about ingredients, date and area of catch and type of fishing gear used. They call for better traceability and a proper labelling system and ask that all fish products, both from the EU and imported, should be party to the same sustainability standards.
