Yesterday, the EU Fisheries Control Coalition delivered a joint statement to the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, on the importance of securing a strong EU fisheries control law to fight illegal and unreported fishing.
Signed by 30 organisations, the statement makes it clear that the current Control Regulation does not fulfil its mission of ensuring the respect of fisheries rules, securing the long-term well-being of coastal communities, preventing bycatch during fishing operations and protecting marine biodiversity from illegal or unsustainable fishing operations. It also does not ensure fair treatment of fishers and, crucially, it risks undermining EU biodiversity action.
With trilogue negotiations between the European Commission, European Parliament and the the Council of Ministers for the new law ongoing, the Coalition and other signatories publicly call on EU decision makers to adopt an ambitious reform of the EU Fisheries Control Regulation with 5 key recommendations.
Click here to read the full statement.