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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Euro MPs back large-scale fishing reform to save stocks | Euro MPs back large-scale fishing reform to save stocks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The European Parliament has voted for sweeping reforms of the controversial EU Common Fisheries Policy. | The European Parliament has voted for sweeping reforms of the controversial EU Common Fisheries Policy. |
| The package includes measures to protect endangered stocks and end discards - the practice of throwing unwanted dead fish into the sea. | The package includes measures to protect endangered stocks and end discards - the practice of throwing unwanted dead fish into the sea. |
| Wasteful discards are reckoned to account for a quarter of total catches under the current quota system. | Wasteful discards are reckoned to account for a quarter of total catches under the current quota system. |
| There are hopes that the changes can become law by next year, after more talks with the 27 EU governments. | There are hopes that the changes can become law by next year, after more talks with the 27 EU governments. |
| The MEPs voted for the package by 502 votes to 137. | |
| A fishing alliance, Europeche, says the reforms are too sudden and too radical. | A fishing alliance, Europeche, says the reforms are too sudden and too radical. |
| With an estimated 75% of Europe’s stocks overfished, there has been enormous public and media pressure over this latest attempt to shake up the CFP. | With an estimated 75% of Europe’s stocks overfished, there has been enormous public and media pressure over this latest attempt to shake up the CFP. |
| The reform package was presented to the full parliament in Strasbourg by the German Social Democrat MEP Ulrike Rodust. | The reform package was presented to the full parliament in Strasbourg by the German Social Democrat MEP Ulrike Rodust. |
| She said the reforms “will bring an end to the December ritual of fisheries ministers negotiating until 4am, neglecting scientific advice and setting too high fishing quotas. | She said the reforms “will bring an end to the December ritual of fisheries ministers negotiating until 4am, neglecting scientific advice and setting too high fishing quotas. |
| “As of 2015, the principle of maximum sustainable yield shall apply, which means that each year we do not harvest more fish than a stock can reproduce. Our objective is that depleted fish stocks recover by 2020. Not only nature will benefit, but also fishermen: bigger stocks produce higher yields.” | “As of 2015, the principle of maximum sustainable yield shall apply, which means that each year we do not harvest more fish than a stock can reproduce. Our objective is that depleted fish stocks recover by 2020. Not only nature will benefit, but also fishermen: bigger stocks produce higher yields.” |
| She said fishermen had to be helped through a transitional period as fishing capacity shrank to allow stocks to recover. | She said fishermen had to be helped through a transitional period as fishing capacity shrank to allow stocks to recover. |
| Parliamentary clout | Parliamentary clout |
| MEPs are sharing power with the Council - the EU governments - on fisheries policy for the first time. There is still some dispute about the amount of influence MEPs can exert over fishing quotas. | MEPs are sharing power with the Council - the EU governments - on fisheries policy for the first time. There is still some dispute about the amount of influence MEPs can exert over fishing quotas. |
| Under the new proposals, the EU will shift from the current bargaining over quotas - a system often attacked by environmental groups - to fishing based on "maximum sustainable yield" (MSY). | Under the new proposals, the EU will shift from the current bargaining over quotas - a system often attacked by environmental groups - to fishing based on "maximum sustainable yield" (MSY). |
| The phasing in of MSY depends on collecting more scientific data about the rate at which different marine species reproduce. | The phasing in of MSY depends on collecting more scientific data about the rate at which different marine species reproduce. |
| The environmental group Greenpeace welcomed the MEPs' vote on Wednesday, saying the reforms would help to promote small-scale and low-impact fishing methods. | The environmental group Greenpeace welcomed the MEPs' vote on Wednesday, saying the reforms would help to promote small-scale and low-impact fishing methods. |
| Greenpeace says small-scale fishing vessels measuring 12m (40ft) or less make up about 80% of the European fishing sector and usually cause less environmental harm. | Greenpeace says small-scale fishing vessels measuring 12m (40ft) or less make up about 80% of the European fishing sector and usually cause less environmental harm. |
| The group's spokesperson on EU fisheries policy, Saskia Richartz, called it "a momentous shift away from overfishing". | The group's spokesperson on EU fisheries policy, Saskia Richartz, called it "a momentous shift away from overfishing". |
| "National governments that stand in the way of reform, like Spain and France, will find it increasingly hard to act as proxies for a handful of powerful companies, with no concern for the long-term wellbeing of the oceans or the majority of fishermen," she said. | "National governments that stand in the way of reform, like Spain and France, will find it increasingly hard to act as proxies for a handful of powerful companies, with no concern for the long-term wellbeing of the oceans or the majority of fishermen," she said. |
| Atlantic bluefin tuna is the most overfished species in European waters. | Atlantic bluefin tuna is the most overfished species in European waters. |
| But the environmental group WWF says EU fisheries have also faced a 32% decline in stocks of cod, plaice and sole since 1993. | But the environmental group WWF says EU fisheries have also faced a 32% decline in stocks of cod, plaice and sole since 1993. |
| The fish catch in the North Sea has slumped from 3.5m tonnes in 1995 to 1.5m tonnes in 2007, WWF reports. | The fish catch in the North Sea has slumped from 3.5m tonnes in 1995 to 1.5m tonnes in 2007, WWF reports. |