The Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament is to vote on a multiannual management plan for fisheries in the Baltic Sea which is critical for the future of over 94% of catches in the region.
The plan, which is the first multiannual plan (MAP) in the EU to be agreed under the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), aims to manage the stocks of cod, sprat and herring, as well as provide measures for bycatch species of some flatfish.
Europe is bound by the CFP to urgently rebuild fisheries as the only path towards rescuing the economic wealth of coastal communities. The members of the European Parliament should demonstrate that they are really committed to this goal, said Lasse Gustavsson, executive director of Oceana in Europe.
If properly implemented, the plan provides the possibility of improving fisheries management in the Baltic Sea, where, particularly the Eastern Baltic, the cod stock is in a poor condition. But, Oceana says the plan as proposed by the European Commission is incomplete.
Without proper implementation, even the most ambitious policy remains a paper tiger. The Baltic plan should set an example for future regional plans and provide a truly new approach to fisheries management, added Mr Gustavsson.
According to the group, the multiannual plan should deliver the CFP objectives, especially to restore and maintain fish populations above levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2015 2020 at the latest in order to ensure healthy stocks and stable and profitable fisheries; integrate the ecosystem approach and minimise the impact of fisheries on the marine environment; contribute to achieving Good Environmental Status before 2020 as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and converge with other EU environmental legislation; and incorporate the most recent scientific advice and provide safeguards in case of ecosystem emergencies, such as the collapse of fish stocks.
Oceana is therefore urging the MEPs to ensure that all shortcomings of the proposal are addressed.
Mercator Media Ltd 2015