Members of European Parliament has expressed that the measure to adopt report on the Commission communication is a contribution for guaranteeing exploitation of fisheries resources in such a way that will create sustainable conditions from the social, environmental and economic points of views. The parliament advised the Commission to reconsider the present system of total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas as the principal instrument for managing marine resources and its “usefulness” given the present fishing restrictions.
According to the members the existing fisheries management instruments, based on TACs, have a direct impact on catches and an indirect impact on fishing effort, adding, however, that “management of fishing effort is needed”. It is said that the Commission need to study the different instruments for managing marine resources ensuring that the existing instruments will not be changed until an alternative that ensures a more adequate exploitation of fisheries resources has come up.
The Parliament said that it is insufficient to measure fishing effort in a uniform way, without taking account of the diversity of fleets and gear. The Parliament expresses its deep concern at the possibility of any change being made to the common fisheries policy (CFP) that promotes the concentration of fishing activity. There is a need to study and propose more open control and supervision systems in respect of fisheries landings, illegal catches and the discarding at sea of by-catches.
