The new vice-chair of the EU Committee on Fisheries, Danish MEP Asger Christensen, has spent a week touring fishing ports in Jutland and commented that this has been a valuable experience.
‘It’s important that politicians get out into the real world. Because only in this way can we learn about and understand the challenges of reality,’ he said.
‘On this trip I visited, among other things, a number of fishing associations, actions, shipyards and innovative fishing companies. They all spoke about how rigid and mindless regulations limit the industry in their work for sustainable and high-quality fisheries. Because fishermen are really passionate about sustainability and have a great desire to deliver high-quality fish.’
He commented that regulations and requirements, such as extra checkweighing of fish boxes, which reduce quality and increase costs, serve only to obstruct the positive development of fisheries.
‘Therefore, we need to get a grip on the bureaucracy and fix the fisheries agreement between the EU and Norway, so that fishing can resume on both sides in the Skagerrak, and payment of the essential Brexit compensation promised to fishermen in connection with Brexit almost three years ago,’ he said.
‘We need to ensure a level playing field in the EU so that Danish fisheries are not outcompeted, in order to take the lead in the green transition and sustainable catch. In fisheries, as in many other areas, the framework must be in order, especially if we want to ensure food on the plate both today and tomorrow.’
