17/06/2005 – Fresh EU
funds for new fishing boats could put at risk
the European marine environment as well as
the credibility of the EU Common Fisheries
Policy (CFP), which was reformed in 2002,
warns WWF.
During their meeting in Luxembourg on 20-21
June, EU Fisheries Ministers will reach a
political agreement on the European Fisheries
Fund (EFF), defining the financial support
to the fisheries sector from 2007-2013. Pressure
is mounting, particularly from EU Southern
and Eastern member States for the EFF to put
aside public funds to modernise vessels up
to 12 meters in length.
However, the global conservation organisation
says that such a decision would clash with
the objectives of the CFP reform, which aims
to reduce the fishing effort in European waters
and promote sustainable fisheries.
"The last decades have been rather grim
for both fishermen and the marine environment.
The majority of fish stocks in EU waters are
still under threat, while the capacity of
the European fleet is still above sustainable
levels. Reducing this chronic overexploitation
is crucial," says Carol Phua, Marine
Coordinator at WWF’s European Policy Office.
"It is essential that the progress made
so far is not undermined by the wrong decision."
As small scale coastal boats account for
around 80 per cent of EU fishing vessels,
supplying money to maintain the current fleet
or build new boats will affect the recovery
of severely depleted fish stocks, such as
cod, Southern hake and anchovy. According
to WWF, support to the European fleet should
be limited to measures that will not increase
the fleet capacity or the fishing effort.
"The European Fisheries Fund could be
a great opportunity to establish a funding
policy that will support sustainable exploitation
of the marine environment. But encouraging
the building of new boats or engines is a
huge contradiction when it comes to striking
the right balance between boat numbers and
available fish stocks," added Carol Phua.
