On October 23, the European Parliament (EP) plenary vote on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the subsidy package of the CFP, will take place. Several controversial amendments are on the table and voting is expected to be close, however, there are also many opportunities which can help the EU to invest in a healthier and more profitable fishing industry.
Of particular concern are two measures which have passed through the EP Fisheries Committee (PECH). Firstly, the plenary will vote on whether to include subsidies to construct new vessels and to modernise engines. These individual fleet subsidies are known to contribute to overfishing and exacerbate unemployment, as new technology will likely replace manpower. It is an inefficient use of public resources for money to be spent on measures which create additional costs.
Secondly, proposals have been tabled to reserve support for participation in Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and other stakeholder fora to be limited to fishermen and producer organisations. Such a measure would subsidise the participation of those already deriving income from a public resource but exclude support to those representing the wider public interest, such as environmental NGOs and consumer organisations.
This would prevent the RACs and other management structures from functioning effectively, as 40% of RAC members would be excluded from such support. Such a measure would run counter to the idea of regionalised management, which is a product of the revised CFP, and lead to multi-stakeholder bodies being of a less balanced composition, most likely reflecting a narrower range of interests.
There are opportunities though for the EP to support positive investments for EU fisheries. Key to fisheries management is a solid understanding of fish stocks. Currently, we have poor information for over 50% of the EU fish stocks for which the EU sets quotas and the Commission have highlighted this as a key issue. In order to manage stocks at MSY from 2015, which is the cornerstone of the new CFP, we need better data for many stocks. Most RACs have written letters to EU representatives requesting for the data collection budget to be increased under the new EMFF, as such an investment will ultimately increase the value of EU fisheries.
Another key component of the EMFF is control and enforcement. According to the latest new economic foundation (nef) report, “Unknown Waters”30-40% of the fish we land comes from IUU sources. nef argues that better data collection, control and law enforcement is vital for the future of EU fisheries. “Funding for data collection, control and enforcement is currently at just 1.5% of the value of landings. Tripling this amount to €302 million annually would be a small investment given the additional gains in jobs and food supplies. For every €1 invested in data collection, control and enforcement, there is a potential return of €10.”
In the Baltic Sea region, the effects of a lack of investment in data collection are already being felt. Ambitious efforts to implement the discard ban from 2014 and to decide whether the survival rates of flatfish are sufficient to determine their inclusion within the discard management plan are recent examples of where management has been unable to proceed due to a lack of scientific information.
According to ICES, national scientific bodies from the Baltic region will be unable to provide them with the relevant information before 2015 at the earliest. Given this context it seems bizarre and counterproductive that the Council under the Lithuanian Presidency has proposed cuts to the data collection budget. Once again, improvements to EU fisheries management will be left in the hands of Members of the European Parliament.
Given that we are approaching the seventh anniversary of George W. Bush signing the fisheries conservation act which put science at the heart of management, and has led to year-on-year improvements in fisheries across the Atlantic, it is strange to say the least that many within the EU still seem intent on using taxpayers money to create additional costs for EU citizens and pursue policies which drive down fish stocks and exacerbate the growing unemployment within the industry.
The EP now has an opportunity to build on their success from the plenary vote on the reform of the CFP basic regulation earlier this year, and vote for long-term investments rather than destructive subsidies. Public funds should be used to grow industry and improve the health and productivity of our marine ecosystems, and not to damage our environment and push people out of jobs. Additional funds for data collection, control and enforcement will enable this, and it is vital that perverse subsidies for engine modernisation and vessel construction are voted down.