Press releases
Fisheries
European Fish Fight Campaign to be launched on 31 May
31/05/2011
Commissioner Maria Damanaki took part today in the launching event of the European Fish Fight Campaign.
She said: "Fish Fight has a great power and I am grateful to the people who support it and understand that we can not go on with business as usual. This is not an option anymore, for the simple reason that fish stocks are decreasing; we need a real change: to fish less and earn more and we can do that through a better management of our fish stocks and for instance avoiding discards. I hope that Fish Fight public support will help to bring the radical change that we need."
Fish Fight has been launched in the United Kingdom in October 2010 by the chef, journalist and food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, to raise awareness about the issue of sustainable fishing and how to stop discarding of fish. The initative has been supported by more than 675.000 people so far and "Hugh's Fish Fight" won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts 2011 award for best feature film.
Commissioner Damanaki opens the Slow Fish International Fair
27/05/2011
Genoa - Commissiner Maria Damanaki takes part today in the opening event of Slow Fish 2011, the fifth biannual international event dedicated to the world of fish and marine ecosystems. Debates, meetings, workshops and tastings will focus on sustainable fishing and responsible seafood consumption.
The Commissioner is also presenting the European report "Deterring illegal activities in the fisheries sector", showing how technologies can help in the fight against illegal practices and support traceability.
"Where does fish come from?" 
[39 KB] - Speech by Commissioner Maria Damanaki at the Slow Fish Opening Conference
"Deterring illegal activities in the fisheries sector" [35 KB] - Speech by Commissioner Maria Damanaki at the Press conference for the presentation of the JRC Reference Report
Fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2012: getting the balance right to reduce overfishing
25/05/2011
Today the European Commission published its report on progress achieved in the Common Fisheries Policy over the last few years and its suggestions for fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2012.
Commissioner Maria Damanaki emphasized that she intends to introduce a new, precautionary approach when proposing fishing possibilities: for fish stocks where scientific evidence exists, the Commission's proposals will follow this closely. When insufficient scientific data is available, the Commission will propose to systematically reduce catches. This approach would phase out overfishing and encourage better data collection and reporting by Member States. The Commissioner said: "To phase out overfishing we must manage fish stocks so they can rebuild and provide the highest long-term average catches that the sea can provide. This will not only improve the state of Europe's fish stocks and lower the impact of fishing on the environment. It will also improve the economic profitability of Europe's catching sector".
Extracts from the press conference on fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2012
Commissioner Damanaki's speech [39 KB] at the press conference on fishing opportunities in 2012
European Commission confirms inspections to verify the enforcement of the driftnet ban in Italy
19/05/2011
The Commission has conducted inspections in Italy on 17-21 May 2010, 14-18 June 2010, 4-8 April 2011 and 9-13 May 2011.
The use of driftnets larger than 2,5 Km is prohibited in the EU since June 1992. Moreover, since 2002 all driftnets, no matter their size, are prohibited when intended for the capture of particular species, including bluefin tuna and swordfish.
The findings of the mission are currently being cross-checked with the information provided by the Italian authorities.
The EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki had on various occasions made clear that we have to get serious all over the EU about implementation and compliance if we want to achieve a sustainable, modern and future oriented fisheries policy.
Bluefin tuna fishing campaign 2011 – Commissioner Damanaki sends a letter to EU Ministers on Libya
18/05/2011
Statement by Commissioner Maria Damanaki
Today, I sent a letter to all relevant EU Ministers, pointing out that the Libyan fishing and inspection plans have not been endorsed by the Compliance Committee of ICCAT, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, which is responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas.
Bluefin tuna: Commissioner Damanaki expects full compliance during 2011 fishing season (15 May-15 June)
16/05/2011
Commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, Maria Damanaki today said that she expects Member States to take all necessary measures to ensure full compliance by their vessels during the main fishing season for bluefin tuna, which started on 15 May. 15 May to 15 June marks the period where large trawlers (purse seiners) are allowed to fish for bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic. Vessels from seven EU member states are active in this fishery (Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Malta, Cyprus). The EU's overall quota is 5 756 tonnes for the 2011 season, reduced from 7 087 last year, of which over half is caught by the purse seiners fleet.
A strict control and inspection programme to monitor and enforce all aspects of the bluefin tuna fishery has been put in place. It involves deployment of inspectors, patrol vessels and aircrafts and is managed by the European Commission, the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) and the Member States. The European Commission also monitors catches and analyes Vessel Monitoring System data (a satellite based control system) on an hourly basis to ensure that all rules, and particularly the individual vessels' quotas, are fully respected.
Regarding the issue of Libyan Flagged vessels, the Commission is closely monitoring the situation and will address it appropriately through ICCAT and our own legal instruments.
Renewed EU fisheries partnership agreement with São Tomé and Príncipe signed today
13/05/2011
At the margins of the Ministerial meeting on the Future of fisheries partnership agreements, Commissioner Maria Damanaki, Mr Tamás Bardócz, Hungarian Director General for fisheries on behalf of the EU Presidency, and Mr Agostino Quaresma Dos Santos Fernandes, Minister of Planning and Development for São Tomé and Príncipe, signed the renewal of the partnership agreement.
This transitional protocol before the reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy covers a period of three years.
It allows forty EU vessels -mainly from Spain, Portugal and France- to fish tuna species in the São Tomé and Príncipe waters and foresees a financial contribution of 682.500€, out of which one third is dedicated to the support of the fisheries policy of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Working towards a new generation of fisheries partnership agreements
12/05/2011
Commissioner Damanaki convened a Ministerial Conference on the Future of Fisheries Partnership Agreements, on Friday 13 May.
Ahead of the meeting, she stated: "The aim is to give the floor to the Ministers of our partner countries, who know better their situations and can express their expectations and their ambitions. I have also invited the European ministers and the Parliament. The creation of a new generation of agreements is the way to go and it will be a fundamental element of the overall reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy."
Watch Commissioner Damanaki's statement
Speech: "A new generation of fisheries agreements "
Comment on my blog: A new generation of fisheries partnership agreements
European fisheries sector crisis due to rise in oil prices – debate at the European Parliament plenary session
09/05/2011
Commissioner Damanaki answered to questions raised by Members of the European Parliament regarding the fisheries sector crisis due to rise in oil prices.
Watch the debate (Monday 9 May, 17:30)
During her intervention, she stated: "I share the concerns about the poor income of our fishermen, especially of the owners of small vessels in coastal regions. But we had this problem even before the raise of oil prices. Of course, this has worsened the situation, but the main reason remains that overfishing jeopardizes the health of our stocks. This is the main issue that we have to solve through our reform of the Common Fisheries Policy".
She added: "The only way to tackle the problem of fuel prices permanently is to improve the resilience of the sector, for instance using those European Fisheries Fund measures that help to restructure the fishing fleet, as it happened in Belgium. In order to address this situation the Commission encourages the Member States to use fully the possibilities offered by the European Fisheries Fund. Until now the Member States used less than 20% of the overall allocation."
Commissioner Maria Damanaki at European Seafood Exposition: Europeans want better access to more sustainable fish
04/05/2011
Today, Commissioner Damanaki will visit the European Seafood Exposition at the Brussels Exhibition Centre, Heysel. During her visit, the Commissioner will participate in a roundtable discussion with WWF/Industry Alliance for CFP reform. This alliance of industrialists and conservationists was formed one year ago at the Seafood Expo to lobby for a real reform of the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Discussions will centre around what industry and policy players can do to end overfishing and discards, guarantee a more efficient and profitable fishing sector and help maximise the value of fish from catch to consumer. In a recent survey they conducted, 88% of Europeans say fish products within the EU should come from stocks that are not overfished.
"I am well aware that European citizens want better access to more sustainable fish through a reformed Fisheries Policy", said Commissioner Damanaki. "The European Commission is currently working on a proposal for a changed policy which will hopefully meet these demands." For the new policy, the Commissioner wants to make sustainable fishing the prime, underpinning objective.
Watch Commissioner Damanaki's address at the Seafood Exposition
Opening the dialogue for eliminating discards
03/05/2011
Today, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki is meeting a wide range of stakeholders from the fishing industry, environmental NGOs and fishermen's organisations to discuss what can be done to stop discarding of fish. Discarding is the practice of throwing back unwanted fish to the sea.
While finalising its proposals for a reformed Common Fisheries Policy, the Commissioner is also reflecting on how to eliminate discards. Last March, the Member States and the European Parliament had exchanged views on this issue at a High-Level Conference . It is now the stakeholders' turn, and Commissioner Damanaki is ready to listen to their opinion.
Speech by Commissioner Maria Damanaki "Opening the dialogue for eliminating discards "
Read more and comment on my blog: A Dialogue for Ending Discards
Maritime affairs
Maria Damanaki welcomes Council Conclusions to boost cooperation on Maritime Surveillance
23/05/2011
Commissioner for Maritime affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, welcomes the adoption of Conclusions by the Council of the European Union on the integration of maritime surveillance. The Council supports the 2010 Roadmap by the European Commission towards the establishment of a Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), which would interlink surveillance data and information systems held by various authorities and bodies that are linked to safety and security at sea.
The exchange of data between user communities, such as authorities dealing with transport related safety and security, fisheries control, marine pollution preparedness and control, marine environment, customs, border control, general law enforcement and defence services, will enhance effectiveness and cost efficiency of surveillance of European Seas in the long run and contribute to safer, more secure and cleaner seas as a basis for sustainable economic growth. It will allow authorities to cope more efficiently with real time events at sea.
"This ambitious project involves about 420 authorities and agencies at European and national level. When in full operation, it will not only ensure safer and cleaner seas, but it will also boost economic growth and favour the development of a European digital society", said Commissioner Maria Damanaki. She underlined that "cooperation on data exchange will ultimately lead towards a new era in the governance of European seas".
European Maritime Day: Putting People First
17/05/2011
Every year on May 20, European Maritime Day is celebrated across the European Union to showcase the importance of the sea and oceans for our everyday life. This year, Gdańsk (Poland) will host the 4th edition of the European Maritime Day Conference on 19-20 May.
Commissioner Maria Damanaki stated: "European Maritime Day is first and foremost a celebration of Europe's maritime community, but I like to think that it also provides a great working environment. An environment in which thoughts can be exchanged, experiences can be shared and new concepts and strategies can be devised. I am sure that participants will use this opportunity freely and creatively, for the benefit of the Integrated Maritime Policy of the European Union."
Watch the conference (webstreaming on 19 May, as from 9:30)
Maritime affairs and fisheries
Reducing plastic marine litter in Mediterranean: a "Fishing for Litter" campaign in France
20/05/2011
The pollution of our seas and oceans from marine litter - especially plastic litter - has taken alarming dimensions. If reducing this kind of pollution in the Mediterranean goes through more recycling from plastic waste, we also need to start working to remove the litter that already pollutes our seas.
The launch of the Waste Free Ocean project, will take place on May 20 at Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Nice. In this pilot project, set up by the European Plastics Converters, an EU-level Trade Association, fishermen are purposely making trips with a specially designed boom to collect surface litter.
Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki welcomes this joint project of the plastics and fisheries industries and hopes the practice will be extended to other Member States. Financial support for such initiatives is possible through the European Fisheries Fund. In April of this year she launched the idea of the Europe wide project in Athens .
Read more and comment on Commissioner Damanaki's blog: Mermaids' Tears
European Maritime Day: Putting People First
17/05/2011
Every year on May 20, European Maritime Day is celebrated across the European Union to showcase the importance of the sea and oceans for our everyday life. This year, Gdańsk (Poland) will host the 4th edition of the European Maritime Day Conference on 19-20 May.
Commissioner Maria Damanaki stated: "European Maritime Day is first and foremost a celebration of Europe's maritime community, but I like to think that it also provides a great working environment. An environment in which thoughts can be exchanged, experiences can be shared and new concepts and strategies can be devised. I am sure that participants will use this opportunity freely and creatively, for the benefit of the Integrated Maritime Policy of the European Union."
"An Integrated Approach to the Sea Putting People First" - Commissioner Damanaki's speech at the European Maritime Day Conference
Recordings from the European Maritime Day the conference
Read more and comment on Commissioner Damanaki's blog: "European Maritime Day: a maritime policy for the citizens"
