We must rebuild fish stocks so that we can eat fish in the future, have healthy ocean ecosystems and sustainable jobs for fishermen. Today, three out of four fish stocks in the EU are overfished and 60 percent of the fish we eat comes from imports. The EU is reforming its fisheries policy and there is one thing we have to do: Save the fish!
On March 1st, a seminar with the title “Can EU fisheries agreements be fair and sustainable?” was organised in Stockholm by Isabella Lövin and the Green group in the European Parliament. Here you can watch the film from the seminar:
and in the programme you can see all the participants.
The European Parliament today voted not to give its consent to a controversial EU-Morocco fisheries agreement. The Greens warmly welcomed the outcome of the vote and called on the Commission to come forward with a revised proposal under which the waters of Western Sahara are excluded from the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement.
“By rejecting the agreement, the European Parliament has sent a strong signal to the world that the Saharawi people have the right to self-determination, and that the EU is no longer willing to legitimise Morocco’s occupation,” Isabella Lövin said after the vote.
Read more: Press release from Greens/EFA
Video of Isabella Lövin during the debate in the European Parliament, 12 December 2011, in preparation of the vote on the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement.
>> Watch the whole debate here
The vote will take place on Wednesday 14 December at 11:30.
Next week the European Parliament will vote on the extension of the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement. The EU’s credibility as a defender of international law is at stake.
The EU is violating international law by buying access to fishing waters outside Western Sahara by Morocco.
Read more in an op-ed in EuropeanVoice today, signed by Isabella Lövin and 5 other MEPs: Support for fisheries deal would damage EU credibility. (Read the op-ed as a PDF)
Isabella Lövin will travel tomorrow, Friday 9 December, to Tindouf in southern Algeria, to visit the Saharawi refugee camp in Tindoouf.
The European Parliament today adopted a report by Greens/EFA MEP Isabella Lövin on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The report highlights the particular responsibility of the EU to step up efforts to combat IUU fishing both by pushing for greater international efforts and by properly implementing EU rules. After the vote, Isabella Lövin said:
“Illegal fishing poses a major threat to vulnerable fish stocks across the world, with IUU fishing accounting for up to one-third of global annual marine catches. While the EU now has stronger rules on illegal fishing, it must to do more to promote effective international cooperation to combat this damaging practice.
“Given the mobility of fishing vessels, fish stocks, fish products and financing, international cooperation is essential for tackling this problem. This report, adopted by the EP today, suggests various ways in which international community should cooperate to end illegal fishing. We need to ensure that ruthless operators cannot simply change the flag of their vessels to avoid their responsibilities. The EU needs to work more proactively to ensure global action against IUU fishing.
“As the EU imports over 60 percent of its seafood, its responsibility to push for better international cooperation is all the more necessary. There is a need for a common import policy among the major fish importing nations – notably, the EU, the US and Japan – with complete traceability and requirements for catch documents for all fish. This should be complemented by global registers for fish DNA to prevent mislabelling.”
More information:
Axel Naver, press officer for Isabella Lövin,
Speech in plenary:
Follow our work with the European fisheries policy on my international site
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