EU Council Must Get Real on Blue Growth
Brussels, 3 July 2017:- Following publication of the EU Council conclusions on Blue Growth in the marine and maritime sector, Our Fish Campaign manager Rebecca Hubbard said: (1,2)
“Instead of making grandiose claims to marine sustainability, the Council of the EU’s aspirations for Blue Growth should focus on practical and achievable targets, like of ensuring that EU governments correctly implement the reformed Common Fisheries Policy”.
“Unfortunately, putting the word ‘sustainable’ 26 times in a document is no guarantee of EU member states commitment to delivering either sustainable fisheries or healthy seas”, added Hubbard. “Our Fish would prefer to see real, concrete acts by EU governments, such as setting annual fishing limits according to scientific advice and enforcement of existing fishing rules that will clear the path for real blue growth in EU waters.” (3)
“By rebuilding most of the commercial EU fish stocks just in North Atlantic waters in line with legislation, we could provide 2,052,639 tonnes of additional fish per year (enough to feed 89.2 million EU citizens), €1,565 million additional gross revenues per year, €824 million additional net profits per year, and between 20,362 and 64,092 new jobs each year. (4)
ENDS
Notes
- Council conclusions on Blue Growth, 26 June 2017
- Council Reinforces Support for Blue Growth, Politico, 26 June 2017
- Council conclusions on Blue Growth. Out of 26 mentions, 21 refer to development, growth or economy
- New Economics Foundation (2015), Managing EU fisheries in the public interest: Results from the Bio-Economic Model of European Fleets.
Contacts
Dave Walsh, Communications Advisor, dave@our.fish +34 69182676
Rebecca Hubbard, Campaign Manager, rebecca@our.fish +34 657669425
About Our Fish
Our Fish works to ensure European member states implement the Common Fisheries Policy and achieve sustainable fish stocks in European waters.
Our Fish brings together organisations from across Europe to speak with a common voice: overfishing of our waters must be stopped, and solutions put in place that ensure Europe’s waters are fished sustainably. Our Fish demands that the Common Fisheries Policy be properly enforced, and Europe’s fisheries effectively governed.
Our Fish calls on all EU Member States to set annual fishing limits at sustainable limits based on scientific advice, and to ensure that their fishing fleets prove that they are fishing sustainably, through monitoring and full documentation of their catch.