Ευρωπαϊκή Οικονομική και Κοινωνική Επιτροπή
The EESC is very pleased with the success of the plan for the Baltic cod stocks and feels that it is important that the plan be extended.
The EESC agrees with the proposal's general and specific objectives, as well as its principles of good governance. The CFP must ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities create long-term sustainable environmental, economic and social conditions, contributing to the availability of food supplies, implementing the precautionary and ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management, aimed at exploitation of living marine biological resources that restores and maintains fish resources above levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield, not later than 2015, all while meeting the requirements of EU environmental legislation. In order to achieve these objectives, the CFP must, in particular, eliminate unwanted catches of commercial stocks and gradually ensure that all catches of such stocks are landed.
The Committee welcomes the intention to radically reform the European Common Fisheries Policy (ECP) and in particular its objective to establish a de-centralised policy, less dependent on detailed decisions taken in Brussels and allowing more opportunity for local and regional involvement in fisheries management. However, the essential detail, clarity and sanctions regime needed for such a policy to work effectively is missing and needs to be included.