May 6, 2010

EU aims to complete fisheries reform by 2011

The EU hopes to complete a reform of its Common Fisheries Policy, which it launched in 2008, by the end of next year, Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said on Wednesday (May 5).

The EU needs a new policy because of "overfishing and overcapacity of the European fleet," Damanaki added.

Spanish Agriculture and Marine Affairs Minister Elena Espinosa cited the need to "find formulas to avoid the rejection" of dead fish that are caught by fishermen as well as the need to give a more active role to regional fisheries management organisations as examples.

Damanaki said one of the most controversial proposals on the table—the creation of transferable fishing quotas—could be "a good tool to fight overcapacity at the national level" as long as it is accompanied by safeguards to prevent excessive concentration.

Spain supports the establishment of a European market for fishing rights but it has found itself isolated on this point as almost all other member states opposed it.

Even nations that have already implemented such markets at the national level such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Estonia are reluctant to extend this principle to EU out of fear that powerful foreign companies could appropriate their quotas.

Earlier this week, environmental group Greenpeace charged Spain's fishing fleet to be using massive EU subsidies to "plunder" the oceans of the world. About 400 Spanish vessels, representing more than half of the country's gross tonnage, fish outside the EU for at least 90% of the time.

"Meaningful reform must begin here in Vigo, home to the EU's richest, most destructive and notorious fishing fleet," said the group's oceans campaigner Farah Obaidullah.

Greenpeace wants EU member states to cut their fishing fleet capacity, increase the area that is protected by marine reserves to 40% and end destructive and wasteful fishing practices.