EU Fisheries Fund

For too long, subsidies have helped to build up excessively large fleets and funded environmentally damaging fishing practices. The newly reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) needs adequate, well-targeted funding if it is to lead to both sustainable and profitable fishing.

The new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) proposed by the Commission would have stopped all subsidies to fishing fleets for the construction and modernisation of vessels or to make up for the temporary suspension of fishing activities. Instead, the EMFF would have channelled money into improving fishing techniques aimed at reducing environmental damage, improving traceability and promoting aquaculture.

The Greens supported much of the Commission's proposal but wanted to go further, for instance by making aquaculture more environmentally sustainable and organic, enabling aid for coastal regeneration to fight against climate change, and creating fish stock recovery areas, as well as introducing various animal welfare measures.

We also wanted more funding to be made available for scientific research and improving fishing inspections and surveillance.

Our biggest success was the attainment of a significant increase in funding for scientific research and fishing inspections and surveillance.

The Member States no longer have the excuse that these activities, which are key to responsible fisheries management, are too expensive: the money is now there and cannot be spent on other activities.

We were unable to prevent the re-introduction of many practices that the Commission wanted to stop, such as public funding of the temporary cessation of fishing, for some types of insurance for fishers, and for the replacement of engines in fishing vessels, among others.

There is extensive financial support for aquaculture, but with few requirements to consider its environmental impact. Funding is also available to pay the costs of the new discard ban, which is counter-productive as it will lower fishers' motivation to improve their fishing practices by becoming more selective.

So many bad subsidies were included in the EMFF that the Greens are convinced it will not help to transform the new CFP, so we voted against the proposed funding programme.