EU GREEN PAPER; TOWARDS A FUTURE MARITIME POLICY FOR THE UNION: A EUROPEAN VISION FOR THE OCEANS AND SEAS
Draft response from NWNWSFC.
1. Role and remit of NWNWSFC
1.1 To be completed
2. General comments
2.1 There is a marked paucity of references to fishing in this Green paper. Neither Fishing nor the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is mentioned in either ‘Forwards’ by the President of the Commission or the Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. Fisheries are not mentioned in the introduction despite the implication that the EU should have an integrated maritime policy. The treatment of fisheries as an issue in Chapter 2 is cursory and dismissive of the sector. It is assumed that in future, fisheries will be largely replaced by aquaculture. There are only 2 out of 59 questions in the consultation explicitly refer to fishing (see responses below).
2.2 Fishing is the oldest and most well established industry operating at sea. It is the maritime activity which causes the most concern because of its impacts on the environment. Fishing is also the industry most at risk from the increase in other activities at sea and developments such as windfarms. In view of the obvious importance of fishing as an issue which must be taken into account in any maritime policy it is surprising that it is not adequately covered in this paper.
2.3 A reason for the poor coverage of fisheries may be that there are tensions between fishing and other marine interests in the Commission and member states. Such tensions may prevent proper integration of the Common Fisheries Policy with this and other EU policies for the sea and must be resolved if a successful integrated marine policy is to be developed.
2.4 The Committee wishes to comment on only certain questions in the consultation relevant to its remit as fishery manager. These comments are provided in section 3 below.
3. Answers to consultation questions relevant to fisheries.
3.1 Page 4: Should the EU have an integrated maritime policy? Yes but the integrated policy must fully take into account all fisheries issues and activities. The present consultation paper does not give full consideration to fisheries and does not reflect the importance of the commercial fishing sector in the marine environment.
3.2 Page 25: How should the CFP be developed to achieve its aim of sustainable development? Fisheries management should be further devolved to member states, regional councils and local management arrangements such as Sea Fisheries Committees in the UK. Member states should take full management responsibility for all fisheries within their territorial seas and historical access rights to distant waters should be removed.
3.3 Page 47: What action should the EU take to strengthen international efforts to eliminate IUU fishing? The mechanisms required are already in place but should be more effectively enforced.