DE-CENTRALISE COMMON FISHERIES POLICY SAYS STEVENSON AFTER MAJOR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HEARING
Posted, December 01, 2009 @ 00:00
DE-CENTRALISE COMMON FISHERIES POLICY SAYS STEVENSON AFTER MAJOR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HEARING
Brussels 1 December 2009. The fisheries Committee in the European Parliament held a meeting today which brought Regional Advisory Councils, industry representatives, NGO's and other stakeholders together to discuss reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy.
Vice-President of the Committee and Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson said in a statement,
"The striking feature of the many diverse presentations to our international hearing was the general consensus that a 'one size fits all' approach to fisheries management is just not feasible. The over-centralisation of fisheries management has been a catastrophic failure, with micro management from Brussels causing a collapse in fish stocks and massive job losses across the sector.
"Speakers from many different countries and organisations emphasised the need for a bottom up approach to future fisheries management, rather than the 'command and control' mechanism that has existed until now.
"I agree entirely with this view.
"Fishing is different, not only country to country but even region to region. We should devolve fisheries management to the member states and leave it up to them to set up the systems most appropriate for the sectors. Where an effort limitation system, limiting the days fishermen can go to sea may be appropriate in mixed fisheries like the North Sea, it may not be best in 'clean' fisheries like Herring and Mackerel sector, where Total Allowable Catches and Quotas may remain.
"There was also general agreement on the need to end the disgraceful discards debacle and to base future fisheries policy on a maximum sustainable yield system that will enable fish stocks to recover.
"I am particularly keen to see special measures introduced to provide support for outermost regions of the EU and remote island communities like Shetland who rely on fisheries for the major part of their economic wellbeing."