The European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee votes to subsidise overfishing

Press Releases and Statements July 10, 2013 Read time:

Projects: OCEAN2012

Alain Cadec, Rapporteur EMFF © European Union 2013 - EP

Brussels – Today the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee narrowly voted in favour of reintroducing subsidies for the construction of new fishing vessels and fleet modernisation. These subsidies would maintain the oversized European fleet and contribute to overfishing. The Committee vote was on the future European Maritime & Fisheries Fund, EMFF, the third part of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy package.

“We are outraged that the fisheries committee of the European Parliament has voted to misuse taxpayers’ money by financing overfishing. Using €1.6 billion to build up to 20,000 new fishing vessels will fuel overfishing and undermine a new Common Fisheries Policy. Furthermore, this decision clearly contradicts the EU’s international commitments to end the harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing.” said Markus Knigge, advisor to OCEAN2012.

Attempts to circumvent a full plenary vote were rejected, so now all 766 members of the European Parliament will have the opportunity to reverse the Committee’s vote and demonstrate to citizens that the EU is determined to recover fish stocks and the viability of the sector. Markus Knigge, advisor to OCEAN2012