The rapporteur, Chris Davies/ALDE, from the Environment Committee (ENVI) in the European Parliament has published his draft opinion on the Basic Regulation for the CFP reform. A large number of amendments are suggested, with a focus on rebuilding fish stocks and improving management at the EU level.
In the justification for the amendments, a bleak picture of European fisheries is painted. Overfishing, overcapacity, wasteful discarding, and the declining productivity of our shared resource are identified as needing urgent reform.
Davies identifies the key elements of the reform as helping fish stocks to recover to levels beyond the maximum sustainable yield (MSY), largely through the establishment of long-term management plans. The proposed discard ban, quotas set firmly on scientific advice adhering to the precautionary approach, higher standards of conduct on vessels fishing in external waters and sustainable aquaculture are also important elements in meeting this goal.
In his report, Davies stresses the need for the small-scale fleet and low impact fishing practices to be given greater opportunity to fish as they lessen the impact on the marine environment. For TFCs, an extensive list of addendums are recommended in the amendments so as to narrow the scope on which they can be applied and ensure that fishing opportunities remain public property.
Given the fear that long-term management plans may be backlogged due to EU bureaucracy and complications over which institutions are responsible for their legislation under co-decision, it is welcome that amendments state that all stocks in EU waters be covered under such plans by 2015. However, it remains to be seen whether including this date in the Basic Regulation would lead to their implementation in this timeframe.
Moreover, recommendations for the discard ban to cover all species in time was a welcome improvement on the Commission proposals, which only cover commercial species covered by quota. Further sanctions for non-compliant vessels and amendments that prevent vessels which have broken the rules from accessing EU funds were also positive developments.
The deadline for MEPs that are members of ENVI to add amendments is March 6th and the vote will take place on April 25th.