EUROPECHE and EAPO call upon EU Member State Ministers to decide on TACs and Quotas 2017 taking into account the integrity of the EU fisheries

In advance of the December Fisheries Council 2016, EAPO and Europêche have sent a joint position paper with general observations and relevant recommendations for about 25 stocks to the Council Members. As such the fishing industry is calling on the Council of Fisheries Ministers not to take the time table towards Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) as a dogma, but to apply a pragmatic and common sense approach to reaching the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) objectives.

Pim Visser, President of EAPO, said: “We are offering constructive suggestions to modify the unjustifiable measures in the Commission’s proposals on fishing opportunities for key stocks in 2017. The Fisheries Ministers should find workable and realistic solutions to avoid the potentially devastating impacts – both biological and economic – some Commission proposals will have on the European fishing industry. Adopting the measures proposed by the Commission without any change is in contradiction with the objectives of the CFP to achieve environmentally sustainable activities in the long-term with economic, social and employment benefits, and contributing to the availability of food supplies.”                                                       

In the position paper sent to the ministers, EAPO and Europêche highlight concerns with the Commission’s management proposals for a list of demersal and pelagic stocks. Javier Garat, President of Europêche, declared: “Considerable progress has been made towards delivering MSY in many of the European fisheries. The suggestions in our position paper are realistic solutions which remain in line with scientific advice but are much closer to three pillar sustainability objectives enshrined in the CFP.”

A copy of the position paper can be found HERE

===== Ends =====

Contact:

Javier Garat (President of Europêche)           E-mail javiergarat@cepesca.es                                                                                                                                                    Tel +34 914 323 489                                                        

Daniel Voces (Europêche Policy Advisor)      E-mail daniel.voces@europeche.org                                                                                                                                          Tel +32 2 230 48 48

Pim Visser (President of EAPO)                      E-mail : wvisser@visned.nl                                                                                                                                                           Mobile: +31 6 53 14 62 20                                                                            

Emiel Brouckaert (Secretary-General)           Tel: + 32 59 43 20 05 – E-mail : info@eapo.com                                                                                                                         Mobile: +32 473 78 11 04

EAPO represents 40 Producers Organisations from 10 EU Member States, with approximately 10,000 vessels, 3.5 million tonnes of landings and a first sale value of € 3 billion.

Europêche represents the catching sector in Europe. Currently, the Association comprises 15 national organisations of fishing enterprises from 10 EU Member States.

Sources: Europeche

Attachments:

Tags: Fishing Opportunities, Council, european commission, Landing obligation, top-up, fisheries, plaice, herring, Cod, Hake, saithe, bas, small-scale fishermen, sustainability, TAC, Quota, MS