This contribution is on behalf of the following organisations: WWF – BirdLife International – Greenpeace International – Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA) – International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) –– Oceana –North Sea Foundation ––the Fisheries Secretariat – European Bureau for Conservation & Development (EBCD).
After the release of its proposal to reduce bycatches and eliminate discards in EU fisheries1, the European Commission is consulting stakeholders on their views. This is a joint NGO contribution to that consultation.
The Commission Communication and the extensive consultation process are welcome. The widespread problem of unwanted catches and subsequent discards is a continuous obstacle to sustainable fisheries in the European Union, as well as globally. Tackling it should be a priority issue in the EU, as overall discarding levels in European fisheries overall are higher than elsewhere. The situation is particularly serious in the Northeast Atlantic area, with discards estimated at 1,332,000 tonnes – 19.6 % of global discards in order to take up 11 % of global landings2, and with some fisheries discarding up to 90% of their catch.
Previous initiatives to tackle this issue, although in some cases reducing bycatches and/or discards, have not gone to the heart of the problem. Therefore, the development and environment NGOs support the Commission for taking the initiative to try and eliminate these wasteful practices. We also strongly advocate that the Commission addresses the issue of discarding by EU fleets active in distant waters as a matter of urgency.
What the Commission is proposing, in a move towards a discard ban with supporting measures such as bycatch quotas and more selective gear, is a significant change in the way European fisheries operate. With effective enforcement (including observer coverage), this could be a major step towards more sustainable European fisheries.