MEPs have stressed the importance of fisheries in the blue economy, calling for more funds and more ambitious environmental measures in a vote in the European Parliament, while noting that there is a lack of direction for fisheries and aquaculture.
The European Parliament urged the Commission and the Member States to boost investment possibilities for modern and sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices. MEPs underlined the urgent need to invest in new vessels and port infrastructure as well as in diversifying the economies of coastal, remote and overseas communities. They listed numerous possible sources of EU investment, such as, European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund or the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism.
‘We need more ideas promoting investment and sustainable solutions in the fisheries sector through funding from the new European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund as well as other programmes,’ noted EP rapporteur Isabel Carvalhais.
‘Investment based on science needs to be made to safeguard protected areas and ensure the sector’s sustainability. Fishers really need to be at the forefront of tackling the loss of marine biodiversity.’
Investments in fisheries must follow Green Deal, promote sustainable aquaculture models and also support fishermen adversely affected by green transition, MEPs said. They mentioned measures, such as more algae production to capture carbon dioxide, the collection of marine litter, limiting the use of bottom-contacting gear and drift nets as well as the prohibition of the use of detrimental techniques in EU’s strictly protected marine areas, that could reverse the loss of biodiversity and could contribute to the conservation of marine ecosystems.
In addition, MEPs also called on the EU to prohibit all environmentally damaging extractive industrial activities such as mining and fossil fuel extraction in marine protected areas.
MEPs highlighted the importance of establishing bilateral partnerships with third countries on sustainable fishing and on the fight against illegal fishing.
They stated that these should follow the highest environmental, economic and social sustainability criteria to establish a level playing field with products imported from third countries and therefore ensure EU’s fishing fleets’ competitiveness.
