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New CFP Must Be Realistic

19/10/2015

The fisheries sector is in danger and urgently needs measures to help protect both fish stocks and fishermen, writes Alain Cadec.

Two years ago, the EU adopted an in-depth reform of its common fisheries policy (CFP). The objective for all of us is the sustainable management of fisheries stocks. It is an essential condition for the competitiveness of fishing enterprises. As I often say, without fish, there are no fishermen.

The new common fisheries policy gives us the means for sustainable management through the principle of maximum sustainable yield: it’s about not fishing beyond stock renewal capacities.

Parliament supported simplifying the technical rules. Too often, in fact, fishermen are swamped by regulations so precise and unsuitable that they are impossible to implement.

Therefore, we have decided to regionalise the technical rules by adapting them to the specific features of the different fisheries; fishermen will be involved in the preparation of those rules.

The new common fisheries policy comes with a financial instrument, the European maritime and fisheries fund (EMFF), for which I was Parliament’s rapporteur.

Read full article here

Source: The Parliament Magazine