Caused mass demonstrations, disruption of port work and the launch of a protest movement by fishermen in France

EU plan to ban bottom fishing sparks outrage

• Overfishing is a European problem that is exacerbated by the absence of agreement to solve it. Archival

• Some object to a general ban on bottom fishing. Archival

image

A recent plan by the European Commission to promote sustainability in fisheries has met with a backlash. The plan aims to ban bottom trawling at protected marine sites by 2030, at the latest, and strong opposition may result in a relaxation of the plan's terms and conditions.

Deep fishing is a type of fishing, using large and heavy nets, which move along the bottom and carry or crush everything that gets in their way.

The plan, which seeks to ban deep trawling in protected areas, has sparked widespread demonstrations, disruption of work at ports and the launch of a protest movement by fishermen in France called "Broken Ports".

Opposition

Although the Commission's proposals do not represent new legislation and will not be implemented anytime soon to the satisfaction of some environmental NGOs, they have been met with strong opposition from a number of Member States.

There was outrage in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Denmark, fearing the plan would jeopardize the entire fishing industry.

The Marine Action Plan for Sustainable Fishing was announced on February 12 and includes initiatives to phase out deep-sea trawling in protected areas.

The plan aims to protect fish, shellfish, turtles and seabirds, which are threatened by the use of mobile fishing gear in the depths (trawls, bulldozers, ropes and traps) in areas that will make up 30% of European waters by 2030.

Destructive activity

"Bottom fishing, especially trawling, is one of the most widespread and destructive activities for the seabed and associated habitats," says the European Commission.

Currently, about 79% of the seabed near the coast is dysfunctional, mainly due to bottom trawling, and perhaps 25% of EU coastal areas have lost marine habitats.

Spain, Italy and Germany accuse Brussels of "demonizing" trawling.

The Spanish government recently accused Brussels of "demonizing" trawling, saying that this type of fishing comes with sustainable production and facilitates the recovery of fish stocks.

Spain's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Luis Planas, defended the need for a balance between environmental, economic and social factors for the EU's upcoming Common Fisheries Policy.

Differences between Spain and Brussels over the ban on trawling are not new.

In 2022, the Spanish government appealed to the European Court of Justice against the Commission's already in force, which imposed the closure of 87 trawling areas on the country's Atlantic coast.

Italy's agriculture minister, Frascosco Lollobrigida, called for a meeting of EU agriculture and fisheries ministers on March 20 to "review the action plan", saying: "To place exclusive responsibility on trawling for the depletion of the seabed and fishery resources is a simplification."

"The plan needs to be reviewed, in coordination with member states and fishing industry actors," Lolobregida said. He also stressed the importance of "not punishing our fishing vessels with strict rules that cannot be applied to a third country," referring to the southern Mediterranean countries.

"It is necessary to guarantee food security and sovereignty, without the need for ideological views, requiring a situation of deprivation of our actions, compared to other countries in the same fishing ponds," he said.

In the row over EU plans, German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Green Party) supports crab fishermen in his country: "Scientific results have shown that crab fishing is quieter on the seabed than other forms of deep trawls."

Campaign against the ban

Özdemir is leading a campaign against a general ban on bottom fishing and argues that the environmental implications of different fisheries should be taken into account in a differential manner, as the relatively light nets used by crab fishermen will be installed on finer substrates, so that the seabed and existing species recover faster, than, for example, flounder fisheries.

"A blanket ban would lead to a dead end, from which affected crab fishermen cannot escape," the German minister said.

However, Özdemir stressed that sustainable fishing efforts must be intensified, including more environmentally friendly bottom trawling bases.

danger

Could the ban put the fishing industry at risk?

According to the European Deep Fisheries Alliance (EPFA), the ban would endanger "7000,25 fishing vessels," or "38% of the fish catched, and <>% of the total income of the European fleet."

According to France's National Fisheries Commission, the measure would result in the disappearance of about "a third of the fleet", or about 4000,1200 from the <>,<> fishing vessels in France.

In Spain, about 10 percent of fishing vessels use trawling, and the sector, led by the Spanish Fishing Federation, has warned of the repercussions on the economy and employment if Brussels imposes the proposed ban.

Restrictive fishing rules have thrown German fisheries into crisis in the Baltic Sea, with an EU-wide ban on trawling, adding to the pressure.

Fisheries in Germany have struggled with many problems in recent years. For example, herring, which is particularly important for Baltic fishermen, cannot currently be caught.

Overfishing, nutrients washed away by waterways, especially from agriculture, and climate change also affect fish stocks.

On the other hand, Ukraine called on fishermen to participate in an initiative to put a lasting end to fishing activities by destroying fishing vessels or diverting them to activities away from commercial fishing.

The EU provides funding for this plan, covering 70% of the costs, with the remaining 30% to be borne by Croatia.

Mitigated plan

The initial measures are scheduled to take effect by the end of March 2024. "There is no automatic or complete ban on bottom trawling that will come into force before March 2024," the European Commission stressed in response to a question.

France's Minister of State for the Sea, Herve Pervier, said that "the Action Plan for Sustainable Fisheries presented by the European Commission merely proposes guidelines for Member States."

"We will ask Member States to submit a roadmap by 2024, and we believe that they all recognise the need to make progress on sustainable fisheries and ecosystem protection, especially in the Mediterranean," the Commission said.

"Many fishermen depend on a healthy seabed, but unfortunately, this continues to deteriorate across Europe."

French Minister of State for the Sea Hervé Pervier:

"The Action Plan for Sustainable Fisheries, presented by the European Commission, merely proposes guidelines for Member States."

"The plan aims to protect fish, shellfish, turtles and seabirds, which are threatened by the use of mobile fishing gear in the depths (trawls, dredges, ropes and traps) in areas that will make up 30% of European waters by 2030."

"There was outrage in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Denmark, fearing that the plan would endanger the entire fishing industry."