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On Wednesday 13 July 2011, the European Commission is expected to publish its long awaited proposals for reforming Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), meanwhile World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has published a list of what it expects the new proposals should contain.
A recent study by the European Commission shows that only nibe per cent of European fish stocks are likely to be at sustainable levels by 2022 if the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) does not change. The opportunity to reform the CFP only happens once in a decade - there is a real urgency to get the 2012 reform right, says the WWF.
"The CFP reform needs to have the recovery and long-term health of fish and marine ecosystems as its central goal. Without fish there is no future for fishermen, fishing communities or fishing industry," said their statement.
"With three out of four assessed fish stocks in Europe overfished, a fleet which continues to be two to three times too large to be sustainable, and a 30% fall in landings at EU ports between 1998 and 2008, prospects seem grim.
"The good news is that overfishing is a problem that can be solved if there is the political will to do so. Unlike some policy areas fisheries management is one where practical solutions are available, achievable and have been demonstrated to work. It is also one where common sense makes business sense. A 2011 poll conducted by WWF in 14 EU countries shows that 88% of Europeans think fish products on sale must come from sustainable sources while 78% support a reform of the CFP to achieve this[ii]."
The recipe for an effective CFP is to:
1/ Think environment first
The CFP reform must ensure that conservation goals such as ending overfishing and discards, achieving Maximum Sustainable Yield (the largest yield or catch that can be taken from a fish stock in order to guarantee its survival) by 2015 and Good Environmental Status for EU waters by 2020.
2/ Make long-term management & regionalisation go hand in hand
The new EU regulation needs to set out clear and binding targets which must be met through Long-Term Management Plans (LTMPs) designed specifically for each fishery. These plans should be in place by 2015 and should be co-managed by stakeholder groups at fisheries level (or at regional sub-unit level in the Mediterranean). This will move Europe away from the politically motivated annual quota negotiations and set fisheries on a more stable track towards rapid recovery.
3/ Provide a management framework for tailor made solutions
Key to developing sustainable management plans at a fisheries level is the requirement to tailor the most appropriate measures for the fishery in question. Some of the tools that may be included in the management ‘toolbox’ are:
* Appropriate Rights Based Management (RBM) systems – RBM can be used to allocate the privilege to fish to an individual or group (community or other entity). The privilege comes attached with responsibilities to meet obligations. Safeguards should kick in when obligations aren’t met, and the privilege to fish can ultimately be revoked. RBM makes fishermen more accountable and gives them a more secure stake in the fishery encouraging them to safeguard fish and the marine environment for the future. Different systems of RBM already exist in Europe but they are often informal without any strong legal base.
* Catch quota management - Europe’s current system of setting annual quotas is based on what fishermen land at port rather than what they take out of the sea. This requirement contributes to the fact that up to 60% of catches are thrown back into the sea[iii], either dead or dying. LTMPs with genuine catch quotas (for what is taken out of the sea) should follow scientific advice and introduce a wide uptake of more selective fishing practices (selective fishing gear, onboard cameras or observers, closures prohibiting fishing in specific areas or during specific seasons…)
4/ Be a global leader for sustainable fisheries
Around 2,000 EU vessels fish outside EU waters. These vessels should be fishing to the same standards as those operating within EU waters. In support of this, at a time when we see increasingly fierce competition for the world’s natural resources, the EU should step up to become a world leader in promoting sustainable fisheries globally.
* Firstly, by applying the principles of the new CFP to all fisheries and all EU vessels wherever they fish in the world. More transparency is needed about the EU Fisheries Partnership Agreements with third countries. How are the funds paid for access to these resources being used, how are they being evaluated, and are EU vessels really only catching ‘surplus’ fish (fish that the partner country can’t or won’t harvest)? The EU should actively help the countries to improve data about the state of their stocks, which is currently often lacking or unreliable; improve governance and contribute to the sustainable development of the local fishing sector.
* Secondly, by taking a leadership role in international management bodies such as the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations which can work towards eliminating illegal fishing and reducing fleet capacity.
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