In an open letter addressed to the College of Commissioners, the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) has called on the European Commission to strengthen its proposed European Ocean Pact by placing small-scale, low-impact fishers at its core.
The next UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) set to take place in Nice this June, which LIFE sees a pivotal opportunity for the EU to lead globally by championing a more ambitious, fair, and inclusive ocean policy.
In its letter, LIFE points out that the draft of the European Ocean Pact – already leaked to Politico – ‘lacks the urgency, balance, and social equity needed to meet the scale of today’s coastal challenges.’
‘In our view, the current draft represents a significant step forward,’ said LIFE executive secretary Marta Cavallé in the open letter to European leaders.
‘It could benefit from greater ambition and a more balanced, realistic approach that reflects both the scale and urgency of the challenges that our oceans face. In particular, we call for an Ocean Pact that is fair for the fishers – men and women, fair for future generations and fair for nature. Of particular importance is the plight of the small-scale fishing (SSF) sector, which is experiencing acute pressures, and, having reached a tipping point, is in danger of disappearing.’
LIFE’s key demands are a dedicated SSF Action Plan to safeguard the future of small-scale fisheries across Europe, recognition of the often invisible role of women in the sector, which is notably absent from the current draft, and stronger safeguards for ocean ecosystems, especially as new blue economy industries are promoted.
‘The Ocean Pact must be fair to fishers, fair to future generations, and fair to nature,’ Marta Cavallé said.
‘As presented, the Pact does not sufficiently reflect the urgency of the triple planetary crisis. Rather, it champions other blue economy sectors — but without the appropriate safeguards to ensure their sustainability, neither respecting ecological ceilings nor supporting social foundations, potentially leading to disastrous consequences.’
