Joe Borg Member of the European CommissionResponsible for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Working together to achieve sustainable fisheries Speech to the German Association of Fishermen and Anglers on the occasion of German Fisheries DayEisenach, 14 Septem

Speech to the German Association of Fishermen and Anglers on the occasion of German Fisheries Day
Eisenach, 14 September 2007

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to meet you today in the beautiful and historical town of Eisenach. We come together only weeks after the end of Germany's successful Presidency of the European Union - a time when a number of important files were taken forward.

On the fisheries front, we have together managed to secure agreement in Council on a number of issues of interest to German fishermen, such as the recovery plan for Baltic cod, the conservation of eels and the fisheries agreement with Greenland. Moreover, we together launched the debate on important horizontal issues such as the fight against discards and illegal fishing.

I would like to take this occasion to thank German fishers for their active participation at meetings of the Regional Advisory Councils and the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. We need such discussion and joint action if we truly want a viable economic future for our fishermen.

The Common Fisheries Policy has been criticised for failing to reverse the decline of many fish stocks, for too much bureaucracy and for poor results in solving some of the fishing industry's most pressing concerns. Yet, the aim of securing sustainable fisheries in Community waters has always been at the core of the Common Fisheries Policy.

The CFP was set up at a time when nations around the world were extending their national jurisdiction to 200 nautical miles offshore. In Europe where such claims would have amounted to chaos, the CFP constituted an agreement on mutual access for EU fishermen into each others national waters. It role has now changed somewhat and our policies have had to evolve to reflect this.

The EU's fishing power has grown enormously due to technological advancement. While this is good in itself, it has also meant that we have outstripped the yield which we can reasonably harvest from our fish stocks. In this sense, the industry has been a victim of its own success. This is not just a European phenomenon; it is one being experienced the world over.

Yet, I believe that we can have a European fishing industry in which profitability is the norm and not the exception; but it will be a smaller, leaner industry than the one we have now. To achieve this, it is vital for us to channel resources to support the industry to reorganise and focus on those areas where it has a real, competitive advantage. This will mean that we must offer assistance to coastal communities that depend on fishing to diversify economically.

Given the knock-on effects that decisions on one sector may have on others, the need for an integrated approach becomes clear. A maritime policy, of the kind we are currently exploring, I believe can be of great help as we alter our policy-making.

It is true that the system we have in place today could be simpler. It could be easier to understand and to administer. The Commission is trying to address these concerns. For example, we have embarked upon an ambitious multi-annual action plan for the simplification of the Common Fisheries Policy with a view to reducing bureaucracy and unnecessary administrative costs and to make rules better understood and easier to implement.

Since the Common Fisheries Policy reform in 2002, the Commission has also taken steps to improve the overall sustainability of European fisheries by focusing on more long-term management, using the MSY approach. This is now starting to bear fruit. As part of our ongoing work to improve decision-making, we have also begun to see increased consultation with interested parties. Improving the analysis underpinning our proposals goes hand-in-hand with this. It also gives operators greater stability.

We realise of course that a "one-size-fits-all" approach will not work and we are, therefore, exercising more prudence when examining policy actions for each individual fishery. Allow me therefore to now touch upon a number of issues which are of particular interest to you in Germany.

We reached a political agreement on the management of European eel last June. The eel stock is in a precarious position as you all know, and action to preserve the stock from extinction was urgently needed. Germany was the first Member State to file a draft eel management plan. We hope other Member States will follow suit shortly.

Restocking is vital to the maintenance of the eel stock and the Commission encourages restocking that can have a positive effect on the stock. I am glad that Germany has been so proactive in the implementation of the eel regulation. We will work closely with you on this. The next step will be a proposal by the Commission on restrictions on international trade in European eel while ensuring full respect of our obligations under the WTO.

In September, we presented our proposal for the 2008 TACs and quotas for the Baltic Sea. The condition of the two cod stocks continues to give serious cause for concern, with the Western Baltic stock, which was formerly the stronger of the two, having again fallen outside of safe biological limits. Scientists have also advised that the survival rate of young salmon is deteriorating and that there is a need to reign in catches. On the positive side, the state of the central Baltic herring stock remains good.

The proposed TACs and measures for cod are based on the provisions of the multi-annual plan to rebuild and maintain Baltic cod stocks agreed last June. We are worried that substantial under-reporting of catches in this fishery has continued during the first half of 2007. I believe the control measures contained in the multi-annual plan for Baltic cod will substantially help to rectify this situation once Member States fully apply the multi-annual plan and appropriate control mechanisms.

In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Germany's prompt action with respect to closing their eastern cod fishery on 4 July 2007.

It is obvious that it makes little sense to spend time and effort on policy, if there is no compliance. This is why control and enforcement must remain a priority in our work and the new Fisheries Control Agency is so important. As it soon becomes fully operational, it will help to improve control across the board. Co-operation with our international partners will also have to be enhanced. Within international organisations, notably the UN and the FAO, we will continue to initiate and support vigorous action designed to curb illegal fisheries activities.

To this end, I intend to come forward very soon with an initiative that will reinforce the EU contribution to the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices on the high seas. We need legal measures and political action to fight pirate fishers and to close their markets. I intend to deliver both.

The enforcement of rules against the fishing industry is not designed to hound the sector: on the contrary. The increasing involvement of stakeholders in the Common Fisheries Policy will give them an incentive: beyond the very real need to preserve fish stocks on which their future depends to also apply the measures that they have helped to formulate.

2008 will be a decisive year for such a development as we intend to introduce a new package which should replace the existing set of rules, bringing more clarity and simplification for operators.

You are, no doubt, also aware of our initiative to tackle the wasteful and ethically unacceptable practice of discarding fish. I am confident that our consultations throughout this year and beyond will provide the necessary information to present concrete proposals on this vital issue soon.

We also expect a new Cod Recovery Plan for the North Sea to be adopted in 2008, following consultations with stakeholders and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries.

I know that support to the industry is an important issue for you. It is necessary that national strategic plans and operational programmes are drawn up to allow for the best use of the funds available to the fisheries sector under the European Fisheries Fund. I hope that, by the beginning of 2008, these will be in place across the Union.

We also need a better understanding of markets and the role of the various actors along the value chain if we are to make inroads in adding value to our fisheries products. This will help the industry directly and assist the Commission devise eco-labelling schemes and proceed with the review of the Common Market Organisation for fisheries products.

Another project that has received some attention over the past few months concerns rights-based management. The initiative to instigate a debate on rights-based management in fisheries serves as yet another timely reminder of the direct link between fisheries management measures and economic efficiency. This debate should help increase sustainability and show Member States how best to fine-tune their management systems.

Aquaculture is also an important priority for us. The aquaculture industry is growing in importance and benefits from many favourable factors, such as a strong seafood market, advanced public research, qualified and trained entrepreneurs and suitable climatic conditions. However, the sector also faces a number of challenges, such as limitations of space and the difficulty of remaining competitive.

We have launched a public consultation with all stakeholders on the further development of sustainable aquaculture. This consultation ended on 15 July this year. The Commission is now in the process of summarising the contributions received and will use them as a basis for discussion and follow-up. This process should result in the updating of the 2002 strategy for the sustainable development of European aquaculture.

Last but not least, we aim to strengthen the governance structure of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2008, following the evaluation and review of the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and ACFA scheduled for early 2008. After this, we should be in a position to take the appropriate decisions to improve stakeholder involvement in our policy.

I would like to complete my intervention by updating you as to the maritime policy. The one-year consultation process led to an impressive number of contributions. EU institutions and consultative bodies have also demonstrated keen interest. We also made very good progress during the German Presidency thanks to the close involvement of Chancellor Merkel and Minister Tiefensee.

The consultation process has shown that virtually all contributors agree with an integrated approach to the oceans and seas. It is on this basis that we will present proposals in October. Our future policy will concentrate on four priorities: maximising the economic use of the oceans and seas in a sustainable way; making the most of knowledge and innovation; ensuring a high quality of life in coastal regions; and securing a maritime role for Europe in the world.

The Common Fisheries Policy is very much concerned by the development of maritime policy. For example, we need to explore ways to halt marine pollution and the loss of biodiversity caused by the various economic uses at sea. We also need to respond to the effects of climate change. Issues like the future development of coastal communities or the establishment of wind parks are also relevant for the Common Fisheries Policy. I therefore trust and hope that you will be closely involved in the development of a maritime policy for the Union.

I would like to wish you every success in your work over the year ahead. I look forward to continuing our close co-operation and dialogue.

Thank you for your attention.