Policy Recommendations

  • In order to improve PCD, the negotiations of the fisheries agreements must be based on the contracting countrys priorities for suitable development of its fishing sector and its country as a whole (food security strategies for example).
  • Conditions and prioritization needs to be introduced for access to third countries waters; In line with the FAO Code of Conduct, priority access should be reserved for the national fleets, especially small scale and artisan fishing activity. Further access should be restricted to those operators who can demonstrate that their operations fit with EU sustainable fisheries development criteria.
  • The EU should respect the surplus principle as concluded in the UNCLOS; the EU should not fish in countries where a surplus is not proved and the prevention of overexploitation cannot be guaranteed.
  • The EU should step up efforts and provide the necessary resources to help contracting countries develop more effective national resource management systems in order to prevent overexploitation.
  • The EU should ensure better adherence to laws and codes of conduct of EU fleets. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing must be tackled.
  • In accordance to the Cotonou Agreement as well as Development Policy of the EU, the fisheries and trade policies need to be mutually satisfactory and combat poverty by supporting the development of an environmentally and socially sustainable local fisheries sector in the third countries.
  • EU fisheries subsidies, directly or indirectly need to be phased out where they are proven not to be socio-economically profitable for any of the stakeholders. The EU should raise the price of fishing licences to its fleets and technological progress of the vessels needs to finance itself through the market, in order to abort any hidden subsidy that hurts poor fishermen.
  • Fisheries Agreements must be negotiated, concluded or extended based on a scientific basis and reliable data. The reviewed CFP should define a decision-making framework ensuring that decisions are taken at the appropriate levels (maximum sustainable amount of catch and total allowable catch need to be set by scientists for example).

 

Case: Fisheries Partnership Agreements

29-04-2008 ‘Rebranding’ of DG PECH into DG MARE: step up to a more coherent policy?

29 April 2008

The European Commission has decided on a far-reaching reorganisation of the Directorate-General in charge of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. As from March 29 the former DG PECH became the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and will from now on be known as DG MARE.

The main change involves the setting up of three geographic directorates that will be responsible for managing both the Common Fisheries Policy and the new EU integrated maritime policy (IMP) in Europe’s three main maritime regions. In the light of coherent development policies Fair Politics EU welcomes this rebranding, but questions the effective impact for sustainable development. 

The ‘new’ DG MARE Commissioner Joe Borg hailed: "The new set up will also boost the implementation of the new EU integrated maritime policy. This will facilitate the use of all the instruments under the Common Fisheries Policy to achieve sustainability in European fisheries."

This new set-up in DG MARE is created to lead to an integrated and tailor-made maritime policy. The Commission says it will be complemented by a new horizontal Directorate which must ensure coordination and policy development. The other two horizontal Directorates (External Policy, and Resources and Legal Affairs) will remain largely unchanged. There will be greater focus on Mediterranean fisheries and on control in international waters in line with the EU's commitment to fight illegal fishing.

The new organisation should reinforce the Commission’s capacity to develop and implement policy for maritime affairs and fisheries alike. It will also allow for the coordinated use of all resources and policy tools in relation to each maritime region: maritime policy, conservation of fish stocks, fisheries control and enforcement, and structural policy.

At an informal Council meeting on the subject of the control of fisheries activities, organized by the Slovenian Presidency of the EU earlier this year, the EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, presented his analysis of the serious shortcomings of the current system. At the same meeting Commissioner Borg stated that the Commission intends to propose a new policy framework at the beginning of October 2008 which will take a global and integrated approach to control, from the fisherman to the consumer. It will focus not only on the catches and the landings, but will look at auctions, markets and imports.

Fair Politics EU stresses that overexploitation of fish stocks still occurs, as reliable and independent scientific data to determine a sustainable maximum catch are often lacking. Local fishermen do not have priority access to fishing grounds: they will continue suffering competition of subsidized European vessels. Most importantly, the local processing industry, which has the highest potential added value in the production chain, receives little support.

The European Union, with the third largest fishing fleet in the world, has a responsibility to take. Due to overexploitation of fish stocks, the livelihood of current and future generations of local fishermen are jeopardized. And the highest added value – which lies in the processing industry – still accrues to European countries, thereby depriving ACP countries of vital development opportunities.

Fair Politics EU supports Commissioner Borg’s up to date analysis of the serious shortcomings of the current system, and hopes the reorganization of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will be a first step in a process leading  to better policy coherence for development in the EU fisheries policy.

 

More information?

Visit the website of the European Commission

Click here to read our article on ‘Developing a culture of compliance is key to sustainable fisheries'