2010-2014: 5 years and 5 accomplishments I'm most proud of
When I stood before the European Parliament as designated Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on 19 January 2010 I made a pledge:
- A pledge to reform the EU's Common Fisheries Policy; to bring fish stocks back to sustainability, stop waste, and bring decisions closer to those who are directly affected.
- A pledge to apply the same sustainability standards whether fishing at home or abroad, whilst making sure not to compromise on democratic principles and human
rights.
- A pledge to create a level playing field for our fishing industry by getting serious about compliance and combatting illegal fishing.
The same year, an unprecedented economic crisis hit Europe. The living standard of Europeans was affected and millions of people, oſten young, were leſt jobless. To me, these changing realities meant that my policy, both fisheries and maritime, took on more importance.
More than ever, every aspect of sustainability – social, economic, environmental – needed to be prioritised. Long term growth and quality jobs were the target. And so was born our 'Blue Growth' strategy which aims to tap into the growth potential stemming from our seas and oceans.
1. We put an end to overfishing in EU waters
When I arrived in 2010 I found as little as 5 stocks fished sustainably – today we have as many as 27 sustainable fish stocks. In the North-East Atlantic for example, we managed to halve the number of overfished stocks, from around 80% when I took office to around 40 % now. This is because we have put scientific advice over short-term economic interests. And for the first time, there is now a legal obligation to fish all stocks at sustainable levels by 2020 at the latest.
When I arrived in Brussels, 1.7 million tons of fish – the same amount eaten in Belgium every year - where thrown overboard every year. That's enough fish to feed many of our struggling communities. With the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy we turned this around: by 2019 fish can no longer be thrown overboard – it will be landed and used for food, for aquaculture, for pharmaceuticals, for the cosmetics industry and other innovative areas. We have also put an end to the gruesome practice of shark finning.
2. We started to use the potential of our seas to create "blue growth"
In times of economic crisis and with soaring unemployment, every opportunity for growth should be grasped. And Europe's seas, coasts and oceans provide those opportunities in abundance. That's why we adopted our "Blue Growth" Agenda, which will allow us to create 1.6 million new jobs by 2020, by coordinating better the different areas linked to the seas and by focusing on those maritime sectors which hold the greatest potential for new jobs and growth. We are talking about areas like renewable energy through wind, tides and waves; tourism; oil, gas and other mineral resources; biotechnology, such as medicines and cosmetics; and Fisheries and Aquaculture.
For example, by mapping and better managing our maritime activities, we can make better use of our seas – which is exactly what our legislation on Maritime Spatial Planning seeks to do. We have also set up a Maritime Security Strategy to provide maritime businesses a safe and secure environment. Surveillance authorities will in the future share information which will make our seas safer and save costs. And we are committed to funding maritime research and give businesses access to this information to help them grow.
3. We brought decisions closer to those who are affected
In the past, decisions on twine thickness, mesh size and other technical characteristics of the fishing net were taken in Brussels, although those decisions affected fishermen like Mr Smith who puts his net in the water to fish off Cornwall. In the future, Mr Smith or his representative will discuss such technical details with other fishermen, NGOs and other stakeholders in so-called Advisory Councils. The final decisions will then be taken by the governments of those Member States responsible for a sea basin. It is about letting those who know their craſt, industry, and local community best to shape their own destiny and create a sustainable future for Europe's fisheries.
4. We "exported" the principle of sustainable fishing internationally
Conserving the fish in our seas makes little sense if we don’t make sure that the same is happening internationally. That's why the EU has concluded 13 Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements around the world which promote sustainable fishing based on scientific data. Our vessels are subject to the same clear rules when they fish in international waters as when they fish at home.
Our agreements are also a driver for economic growth, both for the EU and our partners: the EU external fleet makes up 24% of the fishing capacity of the overall EU fleet, and contributes to 7% of the jobs involved in the EU's total fleet. But not growth at any cost - each agreement has a clause under which it protects human rights and democratic principles.
Furthermore, the EU has played a major role at the international level to help preserve important fish stocks: in March 2014 we reached an agreement with Faroe Islands and Norway on our sustainable long-term management for mackerel, aſter years of intensive discussions, negotiations and deadlocks. We also helped to bring the Eastern Atlantic Bluefin tuna stock back from the brink of extinction to sustainable levels.
5. We stood up to illegal fishing around the world
Illegal and unreported fishing amounts at least 15% of the fish caught globally. Europe, the largest importer of fish in the world, no longer tolerates any fish caught illegally or unsustainably from anywhere else.
We have taken decisive action against countries who do not respect international laws. Since 2012, 11 non EU-countries have been handed a first warning that if no action is taken the EU would impose a trade ban against the import of illegally caught fish in its territory. The majority of those took up the opportunity to cooperate with the EU and adopted the necessary fisheries management, control and sanction measures.
However, Cambodia, Belize and Guinea Conakry did not take this course and the EU adopted its first ever trade ban from these countries in March 2014. In line with international guidelines, we have shown that we are ready to use all means at our disposal – both diplomatic and commercial - to defend sustainable fishing worldwide.
