Undercurrent: NGOs call on EU fisheries ministers to fulfill CFP targets, 7 December 2018:
Ahead of the EU fisheries council meeting to be held on Dec 17-18, NGOs have called on EU fisheries ministers to ensure fishing opportunities for 2019 do not exceed scientifically advised levels, if they want to achieve targets required by their own common fisheries policy (CFP).
In a letter sent to ministers prior to the meeting, several NGOs also said the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) objective should be achieved for all stocks by 2020 at the latest.
Such commitments are “essential”, they said, with only two December fisheries councils left to achieve the requirements of Article 2(2) of the CFP basic regulation.
“We welcome the long-term progress towards more sustainable fisheries that has been made, which has contributed to the enhanced profitability of many segments of the European fleet, as presented in the Commission’s communication on fishing opportunities,” said the letter, which was jointly signed by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Seas At Risk, Oceana, ClientEarth, the Fisheries Secretariat and Our Fish.