Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Commission has proposed new rules for fisheries and the aquaculture sector with the aim of improving sustainability and resilience.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, pointed out at a press conference on Tuesday that new rules support the EU’s energy transition and plan to restore and protect marine ecosystems.
“The actions we propose will help us reduce the sector’s impact on marine ecosystems and on the climate, promote the use of cleaner energy sources, and move us away from dependence on fossil fuels,” he stressed.
Sinkevičius reminded that the EU reformed its fisheries policies in 2013 and added that the EC wants to improve the package and bring it in line with the green push.
“The three main principles on which the common fisheries policy is based are still relevant today: environmental, social, and economic sustainability; effective regional cooperation; and science-based decision-making,” he stressed.
Sinkevičius reminded us that five fish stocks in the EU were harvested sustainably in 2009, with the figure reaching 60 in 2022.
Stronger green push
According to Sinkevičius, “faster and more structural transformation is needed to reduce environmental and climate impacts of fishing and aquaculture… this is necessary to restore a healthy marine environment and ensure food security, as well as to help the sector remain profitable to become more resilient, increase energy efficiency and contribute to climate neutrality quickly.”
He noted that the Commission’s proposal takes into account “the dependency of the fisheries sector on a healthy marine environment and its own environmental and climate impact.”
In addition, the EC notes that the sector is dependent on fossil fuels and stresses the importance of replacing them with renewable sources of energy.
According to Sinkevičius, new rules will help the EU to meet its environmental targets and protect biodiversity. He reminded that the EC wants to designate 30% of the bloc’s seas as marine protected areas by 2030 to protect and restore fish stocks.
“More fish in the sea means a better future for fisheries and better food security,” Sinkevičius stated and called on bloc members to use all available EU funds to support the sector through the transition.
