IP/08/138
Brussels, 31 January 2008
Commission welcomes Parliament's support for gradual elimination of discards in EU fisheries The European Commission welcomes the broad support expressed by the European Parliament in its plenary session, last night, for the Commission's Communication of March 2007 setting out a policy to reduce unwanted by-catches and eliminate discards in European fisheries (IP/07/429). In its opinion, the Parliament welcomes the Commission's approach and underlines the urgent need for action at EU level to prevent the waste of precious marine resources. Discarding represents a major threat to the sustainability of fish stocks and, as a result, to the future of the fishing industry. The Parliament also supports the Commission's proposal to act stepwise, fishery by fishery, on the basis of defined targets so as to achieve the elimination of discards over time. Following detailed consultation with stakeholders, the Commission is consulting scientists on a number of fisheries which would be the first candidates for the gradual discard ban. The Commission also intends to produce a roadmap, accompanied by a timetable on the application of the gradual elimination of discards to all major European commercial fisheries. Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Joe Borg commented, "I am very pleased that the Parliament shares the Commission's concern with regard to the impact of discarding marine resources and our determination to bring it to a gradual end. The Commission and the Parliament also agree on the need to define solutions on a case-by-case basis. This will ensure the full involvement of stakeholders in the process which is essential to its success."
The Commission's approach recognises that every fishery is different and needs tailor-made solutions. Target discard rates, and time scales for achieving them, would be set at EU level, but it will then be up to fishermen to determine how they can best achieve those goals. The Parliament, in its opinion, supports the elimination of discards fishery by fishery, using a results-based approach.
The Commission firmly agrees with the Parliament that the reduction of overall fishing effort levels in EU fisheries is in itself a major step towards eliminating discards. The proposed policy on discards is thus not an isolated action, but is part of the EU's broader initiative to manage its fisheries for maximum sustainable yield.
Since the publication of the Communication in March of last year, the Commission has held detailed consultations with the Member States and stakeholders on how the new policy might be implemented. Opinions have also been received from five of the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and from the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA).
A list of six fisheries have been submitted to the Commission's own Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (STECF) for their advice, which is expected shortly. The Commission will then, on the basis of that advice, select certain fisheries as the subject of the first concrete discard bans.
At the same time, the Commission will draw up a roadmap, including a timetable, for applying this approach to all major European commercial fisheries.
