Category: Press

 

German EU Presidency has opportunity to match Chancellor Merkel’s Commitment to Healthy Oceans

Luxembourg, 19 October 2020:- As EU Fisheries Ministers gather today in Luxembourg to set fishing limits for the Baltic Sea in 2021, a series of messages to EU Commissioner Sinkevičius and Baltic state fisheries ministers appeared at landmarks in of Lithuania, Germany, Poland and Denmark, calling for an end to overfishing.

In Vilnius, Lithuania, the hometown of European Commissioner for the Environment and Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius, the iconic statue of King Mindaugas was seen holding a massive cod, accompanied by the messages #IsgelbekBaltijosjura (Save the Baltic in Lithuanian) and #EndOverfishing – in an apparent plea to the Commissioner to consider the legacy he will bequeath to future generations of Baltic children.

“Commissioner Sinkevičius hails from the Baltic Sea, where the children of the region will inherit the legacy of his actions. Just two weeks ago, as he opened the ‘Our Baltic’ Conference, the Commissioner promised that sustainable fishing levels are a priority goal for the EU. We expect the Commissioner to deliver on his word – Lithuanians, and indeed all Europeans, are looking for more than just rhetoric from his leadership” said Our Fish Programme Director Rebecca Hubbard.

The annual EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) is meeting in Luxembourg, from October 19 to20th. Chaired by the German Presidency, the meeting will set Total Allowable Catches (TACs) – fishing limits – for fish caught in the Baltic Sea for 2021 [1]. Under the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) – and thus by law, the EU must set TACs in line with scientific advice by 2015, or by 2020 at the latest [2]. In October 2019, AGRIFISH ministers set five out of ten fishing limits for fish caught in the Baltic Sea in 2020 far above the scientific advice and CFP requirements [3].

During the weekend, in Warnemuende, in the coastal area of Graal-Müritz-Torfbrücke in Germany, a banner with the message reading: Rettet Die Ostsee, Überfischung Stoppen, Jetzt! called on Germany to: Save the Baltic Sea, Stop Overfishing Now!

“The German Presidency of the EU has a critical part to play; not only is Germany a key Baltic fishing country, but Chancellor Angela Merkel just last week committed to the UN Leaders Pledge for Nature, stating during the UN Biodiversity Summit that ‘we have to manage land and sea more sustainably’. But if the German Presidency facilitates fishing limits in the Baltic Sea that defy scientific advice, and result in continued overfishing, it will be specifically going against Chancellor Merkel’s commitment to a healthy ocean, and prove an international embarrassment”, she added.

In Poland, a message – delivered by a cod- the city symbol – calling on the Baltic decision makers to end overfishing.

Across the Baltic Sea, on the Langelinie promenade in Copenhagen, the famous Little Mermaid statue was seen embracing a cod with a message calling for an End to Overfishing. Last week, the Danish Minister for Fisheries, Mogens Jensen and Minister for Environment, Lea Wermelin received a statement signed by over 300 scientists calling for an end to overfishing as climate action.

Estonia currently holds the Presidency of BALTFISH – the high level group of Baltic Fisheries Ministers responsible for agreeing regional fisheries management conditions. As President, Estonia also plays an important role in this year’s deliberations over fishing limits, as the regional ministers usually agree to a preliminary joint position before entering the AGRIFISH Council. It will be interesting to see if Estonia also pushes for sustainable fishing limits considering that it recently signed up to the Our Baltic Declaration which re-committed to doing so [4].

“Today’s Council meeting is an opportunity for EU ministers to put their money where their mouth is and demonstrate that they are real leaders with integrity; follow the scientific advice, end overfishing of the Baltic, and deliver immediate action on climate and the biodiversity crisis”, concluded Hubbard.

International and regional NGOs have prepared detailed recommendations for fishing limits and relevant fisheries management options to restore the Baltic Sea fish populations and the health of the Sea, based on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) [5].

 

BACKGROUND

EU countries have overfished the Baltic Sea for many years, leading to a decline in the health of fish populations and subsequently, the livelihoods of fishermen. In 2019, the situation became so bad that the EU agreed on a program to buy up a number of fishing vessels, in order to address the problem of there being too many boats for too few fish [6]. This is a misguided and expensive solution – these kinds of subsidies have been proven ineffective in addressing overfishing [7]. On the contrary, it has been demonstrated that if fishing limits followed scientific advice, catches and profits would increase, but these have been ignored by fisheries ministers [8].

ENDS

 

Contacts: 

Dave Walsh, Our Fish Communications Advisor, +34 691 826 764, dave@our.fish

 

Notes:

[1] EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 19-20 October 2020

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/agrifish/2020/10/19-20/

[2] Common Fisheries Policy: Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32013R1380

[3] Our Fish, 15 October 2019: EU Fisheries Ministers Ignore EU Law and Nature’s Limits for Baltic Sea

https://our.fish/press/eu-fisheries-ministers-ignore-eu-law-and-natures-limits-for-baltic-sea/

[4] Ministerial Declaration ‘Our Baltic’ Conference, 28th September 2020: Declaration of the Ministers of Environment, Maritime Economy, Agriculture and Fisheries of Baltic Sea Member States and of the Commissioner for ‘Environment, Oceans and Fisheries’

https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/ministerial_declaration_our_baltic_conference.pdf

[5] Joint NGO recommendations on EU Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2021

https://our.fish/publications/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-eu-baltic-sea-fishing-opportunities-for-2021/

[6] Informal deal on measures to support fishermen and sustain fish stocks in the Baltic Sea

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/09/22/informal-deal-on-measures-to-support-fishermen-and-sustain-fish-stocks-in-the-baltic-sea/

[7] Seas At Risk, BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, 2020. “Ending “temporary cessation” for good: How an EU subsidy is driving overfishing”

https://seas-at-risk.org/images/pdf/Report_EMFF_temporary_cessation_SAR_BirdLife_2020.pdf

[8] New Economics Foundation 2019, Landing the Blame: Overfishing in the Baltic Sea 2020. https://neweconomics.org/2019/12/landing-the-blame-overfishing-in-the-baltic-sea-2020

 

About Our Fish

Our Fish is working to end overfishing and restore a healthy ocean ecosystem. By collaborating with others, and deploying robust evidence, we are calling for an end to overfishing as a critical and significant action to address the biodiversity and climate crisis. https://our.fish

Dublin, 13 October 2020:- Responding to news that Ireland’s High Court has overturned the ban on vessels larger than 18m from operating within the country’s six nautical mile inshore waters, Birdwatch Ireland and the Our Fish campaign have called on Minister McConalogue to immediately take the necessary steps to reinstate the ban, in order to protect Ireland’s coastal biodiversity and communities.

The ban was born of a policy directive introduced by former Irish fisheries minister Michael Creed in March 2019, following a public consultation, underpinned by the detailed reports by Ireland’s Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Irish Sea Fisheries Board) on the environmental and socio-economic benefits of reducing the access of large trawlers to Irish coastal waters [1].

In excess of 900 submissions were received from the public, NGOs, inshore fisheries and fishers operating large trawlers. However, following an application for a judicial review taken by fishing vessel operators Tom Kennedy and Neil Minihane, the High Courts’ Justice Michael McGrath found the ban was “void and of no legal effect” [2].

Mr. Minihane and Mr. Kennedy took legal action against the Minister on a number of different grounds, including that the ban would prohibit them from trawling inside the 6nm limit for sprat. Both Mr Minihane and Mr Kennedy are directors and shareholders of companies who operate a number of trawlers over 18m in length.

Over 80% of Irish fishing vessels are less than 12m in length [3]. These smaller vessels are entirely dependent on the 6nm coastal zone for all of their landings, whereas trawlers over 18m only caught 2.6% of their landings in this zone previously, and they have access to offshore fish stocks. Additionally, these larger trawlers have the biggest impact on this coastal zone, which is crucial for ecosystem services such as fish nursery areas.

“We trust that Minister McConalogue will take decisive action to prioritise sustainable fisheries management in Ireland’s inshore waters on behalf of the vast majority of Irish fishers and coastal communities, instead of the demands of a few interested parties”, said Fintan Kelly, Policy Officer at Birdwatch Ireland. “The Minister must take steps to ensure that a ban on large trawlers within the 6nm limit is brought into effect as soon as possible, while ensuring that all affected stakeholders are afforded the right to consultation as highlighted in the court ruling”.

“It is significant that Justice McGrath agreed with the Minister’s position that the applicants do not have any property rights, in that fish stocks are a natural resource belonging to the Irish State, as the privatisation of fishing quota by large trawlers would be a significant negative precedent. Fish are a commons resource owned by the Irish people and managed by the Minister on their behalf. They are not the private property of individual fishing companies”, continued Kelly.

“It’s devastating that one of Ireland’s few laws that actively supported hundreds of low-impact fishers and their coastal communities, and could deliver massive environmental benefits, has been overturned on a technicality in favour of some of the most destructive fishers in the industry. Ireland was making positive progress by eliminating industrial fishing in coastal waters and it’s urgent that the new Minister take the legal steps necessary to reinstate the law. This is particularly important if the Irish government is genuine about its ambitions to halt the biodiversity and climate emergency”, said Rebecca Hubbard, Programme Director at Our Fish.

According to Ireland’s Marine Institute, restricting the access of larger trawlers inside Ireland’s 6 nautical mile zone would lead to improved protection of coastal environments, ecology and essential fish habitat. Fishing has significant effects on local ecology and ecosystems; particularly when fishing is intensive locally and results in overfishing. Overfishing stocks such as herring and sprat which provide food for fish, seabirds and mammals can have serious consequences for marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The ban would provide ecosystem benefits, including for nursery areas and juvenile fish stocks. It would also further the sustainable development of the small scale inshore and the sea-angling sectors which strongly rely on inshore waters (see note 3).

ENDS

Contacts:

Dave Walsh, Our Fish Communications Advisor, +34 691 826 764, dave@our.fish

Fintan Kelly, Birdwatch Ireland Policy Officer, +353 (85) 129 5849, fkelly@birdwatchireland.ie

 

Notes:

[1] Minister Creed provides increased protection to waters inside Ireland’s 6 mile limit – benefits for inshore sector, ecosystem and nursery areas, 21 December 2018

https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/Minister_Creed_provides_increased_protection_to_waters_inside_Irelands_6_mile_limit_%E2%80%93_benefits_for_inshore_sector_ecosystem_and_nursery_areas.html

[2] “A High Court judgment from Justice Michael McGrath has found that the ban on over 18mtr vessels fishing inside the 6 mile limit is void and of no legal effect.”

“The judgement follows from an application for a judicial review taken by Tom Kennedy and Neil Minihane against the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine over Policy Directive 1 of 2019. The directive was introduced by Minister Michael Creed on 5th March 2019.”

The Skipper, October 7, 2020

https://theskipper.ie/high-court-overturns-6-mile-ban/

[3] These statistics and data are supported by the following reports:

BIM (2018) Economic analysis of trawl and seine fisheries within the Irish 6nm zone https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/customerservice/publicconsultation/review6nmzone/4EconomicAnalysisTrawl270418.pdf

Marine Institute (2018) Trawl Fishing in Waters Inside 6nm around Ireland, Fisheries Ecosystems Advisory Services Marine Institute

https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/seafood/sea-fisheriespolicymanagementdivision/publicconsultations/completedpublicconsultations/2TrawlFishinginWatersInside6nm171218.pdf

Marine Institute (2018) Fishing patterns and value of landings for vessels, greater than 15m in length, with higher than average fishing activity in waters inside 6nm, Fisheries Ecosystems Advisory Services https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/customerservice/publicconsultation/review6nmzone/3FishingPatterns270418.pdf

 

About Our Fish

Our Fish is working to end overfishing and restore a healthy ocean ecosystem. By collaborating with others, and deploying robust evidence, we are calling for an end to overfishing as a critical and significant action to address the biodiversity and climate crisis. https://our.fish

 

About Birdwatch Ireland

BirdWatch Ireland is the largest independent conservation organisation in Ireland. We work with all stakeholders to improve marine conservation and sustainable fisheries policy in Ireland and Europe.

https://birdwatchireland.ie/

 

Looking for the scientist statement, and how to sign it? Please go here.

Brussels, 10 September 2020:- “End overfishing” – that’s the message delivered to EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius this week, as part of a statement signed by more than 300 scientists calling for action by the European Commission, European Parliament and EU member states to end overfishing “as an urgent and necessary response to the biodiversity and climate crises”.

The scientists are urging the EU to set fishing limits within scientific advice, and recognise that “ecosystem-based fisheries management is critical to the health of the ocean and its capacity to respond to climate change” [1,2].

The signatures will also be delivered to EU Member State fisheries ministers, before annual fishing limits are agreed for 2021, and to Members of the EU Parliament who are preparing their response to the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy [3].

The statement, signed by leading voices in the marine science field, including Professor Carlos M. Duarte, Professor Hans-Otto Pörtner, Dr Valérie Masson-Delmotte, Professor Rashid Sumaila, Dr Ute Jacob, Dr Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Professor Didier Gascuel, Dr Rainer Fröse, Professor Alex Rogers, Professor Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Dr Sandra Cassotta, Professor Stiig Markager, and Professor Daniel Pauly, was delivered this week to EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius by the Our Fish campaign.

“Overfishing and bycatch are the largest drivers of biodiversity loss in the ocean”, said Professor Alex Rogers, Science Director at Rev Ocean. “We need a healthy and productive ocean, and ending overfishing is key. This is especially the case when faced with the effects of climate disruption, which affects the whole ocean, including fish stocks themselves. As a scientist, I am calling on the EU to recognise that ecosystem-based fisheries management is critical to the health of the ocean and its capacity to respond to climate change. It is also vital for human health, including that of future generations”.

“Overfishing means taking more fish out of the water than can grow back. To be honest, that’s pretty stupid. Because then the stocks shrink, and shrunken small stocks can only support small catches. So that makes no sense at all; it doesn’t help the fishermen, it doesn’t help the fish, it doesn’t help anyone. The whole thing also has an impact on the climate; fish stocks that are too small cannot fulfill their role in the ecosystem. If the ecosystem does not function properly, it cannot breathe properly and cannot absorb CO2 properly”, said Dr. Rainer Fröse, GEOMAR – Helmholtz centre for ocean research Kiel, Germany.

“The science is clear – now the EU must ensure that a healthy ocean is central to its response to the nature and climate crisis – and that means finally putting an end to overfishing”, said Rebecca Hubbard, Programme Director of Our Fish. “Just like with our own health, if we continue to batter the ocean with overfishing, the whole system will weaken further, until it can no longer provide us with the life-support we need it for – oxygen, climate regulation, food and jobs. The EU must stop dragging its feet and take this clear and decisive action now, before it’s too late”, concluded Hubbard.

ENDS

Note: A number of the signatories, from several countries, are available to speak to media – please contact press@our.fish for further details. 

Contact:
Dave Walsh, Our Fish Communications Advisor, +34 691 826 764, dave@our.fish

Notes:
[1] Scientist Statement of Support: Ending Overfishing Is Climate Action https://our.fish/news/ending-overfishing-is-climate-action-scientist-statement-of-support/

[2] Definition of ecosystem-based fisheries management:
As opposed to traditional fisheries management, which focuses on managing single species only, Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) is part of the broader ecosystem-based management approach that addresses all environmental, ecological, and anthropogenic (including fisheries) impacts on an ecosystem and takes into account the interconnectedness and interdependence of various components of an ecosystem. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/ecosystem-based-fisheries-management

[3] EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/strategy/index_en.htm

About Our Fish
Our Fish is working to end overfishing and restore a healthy ocean ecosystem. By collaborating with others, and deploying robust evidence, we are calling for an end to overfishing as a critical and significant action to address the biodiversity and climate crisis
Website: https://our.fish
Follow Our Fish on Twitter: @our_fish