According to the European Market Observatory for Fishery and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA), “the EU’s self-sufficiency has been following a negative trend since 2018, which reflects both the downward trend of EU production and, even more, the increase of imports. The highest level of self-sufficiency – 46% – was reached in 2014.” From 2014 onwards, which coincided with the entry into force of the Common Fisheries Policy adopted in 2013, the EU is shifting away from its self-sufficiency goal.

Mr Voces, managing director of Europêche, argued that “fishers have suffered tremendous socio-economic losses over the last decade due to hefty quota cuts with the promise that, once recovered, seafood production would multiply. The EU has moved from 5 stocks at sustainable levels (MSY – Maximum Sustainable Yield) in 2009 to 60 in 2022 and yet seafood production has decreased.” “Thus, the CFP is not delivering its objective to reduce seafood dependence”, he underlined.

Mr Voces regretted that, instead of trying to revert the situation, the EU is prioritising marine renewable energy and environmental protection over food security. While energy transition is important, it should never undermine healthy and sustainable food production. Likewise, the sector observes with concern how environmental policies are taking over fisheries management, which breaks the balance of the three pillars of sustainability (people, planet and profit). This has translated into more area closures and restrictions which, combined with external factors such as Brexit, high-energy prices and inflation, are decimating the fleet and food security.

Mr Voces concluded: “Perhaps the fact that fisheries and environmental policies have been placed under the mandate of the same Commissioner has not helped. Fisheries, as an exclusive competence of the EU, merits its own political leader. For the upcoming European Commission mandate (2024-2029), we firmly advocate for fisheries to be exclusively placed under the mandate of a dedicated Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. The EU needs to return to a model where primary food production and self-sufficiency are true core principles. If anything, fisheries should be considered in conjunction with agriculture rather than environment, as both the Council of the EU (AGRIFISH) and the Treaty of the EU collectively address them together.”

Press contacts:

Rosalie Tukker, Senior Policy Officer of Europêche: +32 2230 48 48 rosalie.tukker@europeche.org

EP Press Release – Food Security EESC Santiago

The EU needs to use the right tool for every job. Reformed a decade ago, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has been extremely efficient in rebuilding fish populations. Fish populations have been increasing significantly, with fish stocks reaching in 2018 abundance levels 50% higher than in 2010. Likewise, in 2020, the overall fishing pressure in the North East Atlantic bottomed at a record low. But the CFP is not and cannot be just a tool for fish stocks’ protection. It should be a broader policy encompassing objectives to solve the new geopolitical, climate and governance challenges. The reality is that the current CFP does not mention major societal concerns such as ‘climate change’, ‘Brexit’, ‘Green deal’ or ‘energy crisis’. It does neither address the impacts of the growing number of marine protected areas, the massive expansion of offshore renewable energy sites, food security and energy transition. Not to mention the need to reform ill-conceived policies such as the landing obligation or to address the missing social dimension of the CFP.  

Today, the European Commission has unveiled its long-awaited policy package consisting of 4 main documents: an evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy, an assessment of the common organization of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products, an Action Plan to protect and restore marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries and a strategy for the energy transition of EU’s fisheries sector. In its thorough analysis, the Commission attempts to highlight those areas where more needs to be done or where the current situation requires more attention, in order to draw political conclusions and to prepare legislative proposals at a later stage.

Javier Garat, President of Europêche appreciated the effort made by the European Commission in analyzing the performance and effectiveness of the main EU fisheries policies. He stated: “Identifying the gaps and shortfalls of current policy tools is a necessary step to take the right decisions. We celebrate the success of the CFP in delivering sustainable fisheries. However, we are facing rapid changes and global challenges that require to activate the legislative machinery as a matter of urgency. The CFP is 40 years old and the latest reform dates back 10 years. In light of the huge developments of past few years, the priorities and tools of the current CFP are obsolete. It was designed for a scenario preceding the Covid pandemic, the energy crisis, Brexit and the recovery of EU fish stocks. Better implementation of outdated rules is not an option, a revision is a must.” 

As regards main fisheries trends, the EU is increasingly dependent on seafood products imported from 3^rd countries (70% of total EU-seafood consumption), while reducing its fishing capacity (20% of the fleet or otherwise said 20.000 fishing vessels less than in 2008) and losing access to fishing grounds in third countries. Garat commented: “Before triggering action plans that further reduce EU seafood production, the EU needs to have a strategic vision on future ocean governance and management. It feels like the Commission is putting the cart before the horses. He continued,  “We remind the Commissioner of his commitment to keep a balance between the 3 pillars of sustainability, not just the biological dimension, and to address gaps in the social dimension of the CFP. We would have expected strong action to develop fisheries policies in that direction, such as the redefinition of fishing capacity to enable the improvement of working conditions, safety and energy efficiency.” 

Europêche regrets the fact that, while showing no intention of reforming the CFP, the Commission is undermining this primary fisheries legislation by proposing secondary environmental legislation (e.g., the nature restoration law) and political action plans that have a huge impact on the activity governed by the CFP basic regulation. Garat concluded: “In fishing we have reached a point where protection is synonymous with exclusion. We must try to make environmental protection compatible with human activity and in particular with the much-needed production of (sea)food. Trying to convert our seas in marine sanctuaries would cost the world far more in deforestation and biodiversity loss than by fishing. Seafood is the healthiest and most environmentally friendly source of protein on earth. For that reason, Europêche fully subscribes the criticism as formulated by the European Bottom Fisheries Alliance (EBFA) regarding the objective to phase out bottom contacting gears, under the upcoming action plan”.

Press contacts: 

Daniel Voces, Managing Director of Europêche: +32 2 230 48 48 daniel.voces@europeche.org

EP Press Release – CFP Package

The appalling absence of officials from the Directorate-General on Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) at the Social Dialogue meeting dedicated to discussing the status of the Mediterranean was harshly criticized by the Social Partners. ETF, Europêche and Copa-Cogeca stressed that their Committee is a key actor of the democratic legislative process, enshrined in the EU Treaty, that cannot be overlooked.

The Social Partners called for fisheries policies based on proper socio-economic impact assessments and for fisheries management measures that fishers can cope with. See their Resolution.

Juan Manuel Trujillo, ETF Fisheries Section Chair stated: “We want to have a thriving Mediterranean fishing sector that is sustainable from an environmental point of view. But at the same time, we want the industry also to be capable of offering quality jobs to  Europeans citizens and long-term economic perspective to companies”. He warns that under no circumstances the social partners “want to end up in a situation where the consumption of fishing products in the EU is delegated to imports of products of doubtful origin”.

During the meeting, the Social Partners also insisted on the need to wait for the results of scientific evaluations measuring the effects of the restrictions introduced in 2019-2021 to adjust fishing effort before proposing further reductions that would only make the sector to suffer even more.

Europêche’s spokesperson in the European social dialogue, Ment van der Zwan, added: ‘’Aware of the delicate situation in the Mediterranean Sea, the fishing sector is already taking its responsibility, reducing its activity at sea, which is benefiting the recovery of fish stocks as reported by scientific data. Yet, the obstinate application of the multiannual management plan on the Western Mediterranean, which has already reduced trawler fishing activity by 17.5% over the past two years (23.5% in 2022) accompanied by new measures restricting fishing operations, is driving most businesses below their breakeven point. The situation is untenable, we are destroying our own coastal communities, our culture, our heritage, to reach short-term unrealistic EU policy objectives”.

Social Partners Press Release – Viable and Sustainable Fishing Activity in the Mediterranean Sea

The new Director agreed with the fishing industry’s claim for better positioning fisheries in the EU Green Deal and in the Farm to Fork Strategy. While supportive of the Green Deal goals as such, Europêche and EAPO objected against setting unrealistic and very harmful objectives, such as fencing-off 30% of EU seas as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) or phasing-out bottom trawling. The industry pointed in this context to the recent positive FAO report that shows that about 80% of the fish consumed worldwide comes from sustainable stocks. In the EU, according to the Commission’s latest communication, more than 99% of the landings in the Baltic, North Sea and the Atlantic managed exclusively by the EU will come from sustainably managed fisheries in 2020. The importance of seafood for a healthy, low carbon footprint diet was underlined and this meant that seafood should be promoted in the Farm to Fork strategy.

EAPO and Europêche reflected on the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis. Europêche president Javier Garat emphasised that: “We continue fishing through the crisis to provide sustainable healthy food to the consumers, but the drop in demand and prices has not recovered and the upcoming economic crisis will affect markets and our sector for a considerable time to come”. The mitigating measures taken by the Commission were welcomed by the industry and who pleaded for a rapid unlocking of €500 mln additional fisheries funds.

Other central topics were discussed such as the ongoing revision of the control regulation. EAPO and Europêche underlined the need for a simpler regulation with less administrative burden. Also the increased use of marine space by MPAs and windfarms led to the sector’s call for support of the Commission to guarantee continued fishing activities at sea for ensuring food security and supporting coastal communities across Europe.

Europêche and EAPO asked the European Commission to make life easier for fishermen since they have to face far too many regulations and bureaucracy of such complexity that hampers daily fishing operations. In this context, the fishing industry called on the Commission to be sensitive and as flexible as possible in the implementation of the newly adopted multi-annual plan for the western Mediterranean in a way that does not aggravate the socio-economic consequences caused by this pandemic. Furthermore, both organizations have proposed DG Mare to eliminate the regime of the autonomous tariff quotas (ATQ) for tuna loins at zero-duty tariff because it has been demonstrated that there is enough raw material available that this ATQ distorts the tuna market. In this sense, the sector also informed the new DG about the importance of guaranteeing the level playing field to ensure the competitiveness of the EU fleet.

On behalf of the industry, EAPO president, Pim Visser invited Ms. Vitcheva: “To visit one of our ports and see all the aspects of the food supply insured by the fishing industry”. Follow-up meetings to exchange views will also be welcomed.

Press contacts:

Rosalie Tukker, Policy Advisor of Europêche: +32 (0)2 230 48 48 rosalie.tukker@europeche.org  

EP and EAPO Press Release – New Director General of DG MARE