Greenpeace activists confronted deep sea trawlers near Mikonos island in Greece yesterday. Fish stocks have declined sharply in Greece due to destructive fishing practices like bottom trawling: 70% of stocks are now overfished. (Pictures available on request.)
Environmental organisations have warned that the "transferable fishing concessions" scheme, dubbed by some as the ‘privatisation of the sea’, would only favour economically powerful fishing operations, regardless of their environmental performance. At the same time, it is likely to unfairly penalise those fishermen that have the least impact on the environment and add the most value to local fishing communities. The dominance of industrialised, destructive fishing would in turn accelerate the depletion of marine resources and the destruction of marine ecosystems, experts warn.
Greenpeace EU fisheries policy director Saskia Richartz said: “The Commission’s clumsy plan is dead in the water, but it leaves a vacuum. European governments must replace it with a scheme that favours fishermen who fish sustainably by granting them privileged access to fishing grounds. Paralysis is not an option: the negotiations for a new EU fisheries policy are already one year behind schedule. European governments must stop treading water and engage in the process constructively.”
The size and ability of the EU fleet to catch fish is estimated to be two to three times above the sustainable level in a number of fisheries, according to European Commission figures [1]. This overcapacity drives overfishing, causing environmental harm and making the fleet economically unviable. Managing access to fishing and fleet capacity are therefore crucial to avoid overfishing. Ministers and Members of the European Parliament should replace the proposed scheme of transferable fishing concessions with a progressive regime that allocates access on the basis of good performance in environmental, social and employment terms.
The European Parliament’s environment committee (non-lead committee) will formally express itself on the Commission’s proposals for fisheries reform on 8 May, while EU fisheries ministers will meet again on 14-15 May to discuss the main goal of the new fisheries policy – stock recovery.
To help guide the negotiations on the revision of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, environmental organisations have published a simple five-point-plan for reform: http://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/Global/eu-unit/reports-briefings/2012%20pubs/Pubs%202%20Apr-Jun/CFP%20Reform%20Five%20Point%20Plan.pdf
Notes to editors:
[1] European Commission (2008) Reflections on further reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.
Contacts:
Saskia Richartz – Greenpeace EU fisheries policy director: +32 (0)495 290028, 
Mark Breddy – Greenpeace EU communications manager: +32 (0)496 156229, 
This press release is also available on www.greenpeace.eu
For breaking news and comment on EU affairs: www.twitter.com/GreenpeaceEU
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties.