Nouvelles sur la pêche équitable, les mers saines et les communautés de pêche dynamiques
Making a Meal out of Baltic Sea Fisheries
On 23 October 2024 the AgriFish Council reached an agreement on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2025. In doing so, they negotiated a package that leaves around 90% of the fishing quotas for the unsorted mixed pelagic catch fleet segment which reduces catches to fishmeal and oil. The agreement also allows the trawler fleet to take a bycatch of cod along with their plaice quota, but leaves the small-scale low impact fleet to eke out a living on plaice and flounder, along with a tokenistic western herring quota.
Once again, the need for fish stock growth to sustain the coastal fishery was ignored. The cod fisheries will remain closed, as has been the case since 2019, but rebuilding the stock through increased prey availability of sprat and herring was not prioritised. The sprat quota was reduced by less than recommended by the Commission and ICES while the central Baltic herring quota was increased by 108%, on the basis that the average weight of herring has increased leaving the stock above critical biomass levels.
Meanwhile, in the Bothnian Sea the herring quota was increased 21% despite the fact that the quota has not been exhausted for the past three years. Coastal fishermen and anglers had called for a significant reduction in order to increase the stock biomass and also ensure sufficient prey availability for the wild salmon stocks that depend on herring for their growth.
Ocean Week 2024 in Brussels celebrates Europe’s Seas
Ocean week took place in Brussels – a week of debates, exhibitions and other events to celebrate Europe’s seas and explore how to rebuild their abundance. The focus was on building momentum for sustainable fisheries, driving climate resilience and uplifting coastal communities. LIFE members and staff have been actively engaged in several initiatives, including:
A powerful photographic exhibition where LIFE Members from Denmark (David Lange, FSK), Ireland (Muireann and Neily Kavanagh, IIMRO) and Spain (Primitivo Pedrosa), called on national governments, newly-elected Members of the European Parliament, and the European Commission to ensure fairer and more transparent fishing practices. Through captivating imagery in both photographic et video format, the initiative highlighted the realities faced by the small-scale fleet and underscored the need for equitable and transparent allocation of fishing opportunities across Europe.
Fisheries stakeholders gathered on the esplanade in front of the European Parliament as part of the “Rethink Fisheries: For Thriving Seas and Communities” event. LIFE members Gwen Pennarun (Brittany Handliners, France), Muireann Kavanagh (IIMRO, Ireland), and Isaac Moya Bofill (Empescat, Spain) featured as panellists in the “Make Fishing Fair” panel. They spoke about the challenges faced by small-scale fishers, from restrictive access to local species to resource depletion and unsuitable market regulations. Their discussions underscored the urgent need for fairer, sustainable approaches to resource management and industry practices.
Organised by BirdLife and Surfrider, Ocean Lab provided an opportunity for MEPs and their teams to meet with stakeholders of the marine and fisheries sectors in a speed dating style format and to share perspectives on the following key topics: Fisheries and Food, Sustainable Blue Economy and Just Transition, Energy Transition, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Pollution and Health. LIFE staff, Jerry Percy, LIFE Senior Advisor, and Gwen Pennarun, LIFE Director, attended to provide insights on small-scale fisheries issues.
Organised by Oceana and Client Earth, the event focused on the shift to low-impact and low-carbon practices to align the fisheries sector with the EU’s broader 2050 climate neutrality goals. LIFE was invited to be part of a panel, providing a small-scale fisheries perspective on the issues arising from the energy transition to a zero carbon emissions economy.
- 3/10 Équilibrer la nature, le climat et les hommes en mer : L'éolien en mer respectueux de la nature
LIFE was on the panel of this event organised by WWF in the European Parliament. Topics on the agenda included the development of new offshore wind infrastructures to meet the Paris Agreement and co-existence with other industries. LIFE underscored, inter alia, the need to place small-scale fisheries at the heart of the Blue economy development strategy. This fleet segment provides a sustainable source of food and employment to coastal communities; it is therefore vital to protect it from displacement and spatial squeezing. Independent environmental, social and economic impact assessments of offshore wind farms are also urgently needed, alongside inclusive Maritime Spatial Planning.
Preserving Heritage while Advocating Change: III Congreso Internacional de la Pesca Artesanal in Conil
Held in the historic fishing town of Conil, the III Congreso Internacional de la Pesca Artesanal (9-11/10) organised by the organisation OPP72 and the Red Iberoamericana de Pesca Artesanal de Pequeña Escala (RIPAPE) brought together more than a hundred participants from 30 countries, mainly small-scale fishers, researchers, and policymakers. This congress celebrated the small-scale fishing heritage, shared knowledge on sustainable practices, and provided a forum to discuss the current and future challenges facing small-scale fisheries. The agenda tackled three main topics: climate change and its effects on small-scale fisheries; governance systems, co-management and fishing rights; and food sovereignty in the context of the burgeoning blue economy. LIFE Executive Secretary, Marta Cavallé, in addition to LIFE members Luis Rodriguez and Macarena Molina, attended the Congress, highlighting the importance of stronger cooperation of small-scale fisheries networks, and organisations across the globe, to represent and create space for small-scale fisheries at international level, and to advocate for fair policies.
Shaping a Digital Future for Small-Scale Fisheries: Fish-X 6th Working Group Meeting
The Fish-X 6th Working Group Meeting, Small-Scale Fisheries Speak Out: Shaping a Digital Future for Their Needs (25/10), brought LIFE Members, LIFE staff and Fish X project partners together to discuss digital innovation tailored to the needs of small-scale fisheries, ensuring they can play an active role within the digital transition. The meeting provided small-scale fisheries representatives with a platform to voice their needs, concerns, challenges and opportunities around digitalization, and discuss solutions and how FishX digital tools can be adapted to their specific requirements. A key takeaway was the need to develop tools not exclusively focusing on control and enforcement as the driver of digitalisation. Building on the UK experience with CatchApp, Jerry Percy, LIFE Senior Advisor, highlighted as key aspects for successful small-scale fisheries-friendly digital tools early engagement, codevelopment of solutions, simple fit for purpose equipment, robust procurement processes supported by initial and ongoing grant funding, extensive capacity building processes for all stakeholders and field testing prior to implementation .
Galician Women Shellfish Gatherers Disheartened as Protection Bill for Traditional Fishing Rejected by PP
LIFE Member Mulleres Salgadas, representing women shellfish gatherers in the Coruña and Pontevedra area, has expressed disappointment after the Galician Popular Party (PP) rejected a Popular Legislative Initiative (Iniciativa Legislativa Popular – ILP) aimed at enhancing legal protections for traditional fishing, shellfishing, and mussel farming. The ILP, championed by various local fishing and women’s organizations, along with unions and municipalities, sought to classify these activities as “of general interest,” which would prioritize them over competing maritime developments, such as offshore wind projects. Proponents argued that this recognition is crucial to safeguard the sector amid declining shellfish and mussel yields and to protect it from environmental threats and competing industries. The PP argued that current coastal laws already cover these concerns, rendering additional protections unnecessary. This stance has sparked criticism from opposition members, who emphasize the economic and cultural significance of Galicia’s fishing industry and argue for stronger protections to address its ongoing crises.For more information check this press article in La Voz de Galicia et le ILP document (in Spanish) .
In the press
Press coverage on the Ocean week:
https://fiskerforum.com/spotlight-on-small-scale-fisheries-at-ocean-weeks-2024-event/
https://theskipper.ie/artisanal-fishermen-and-oceana-call-for-fairer-fishing-access/
À venir
Ongoing – CINEA launched a call for proposals for expertise and technical assistance to those willing to launch a project that falls under one of the categories supported by the Mission Lighthouse (biodiversity, pollution, and circular economy). Deadline 13/12/2024
6/11, 14:30-17:30 – European Parliament hearing with Commissioner-designate Kostas Cadis. Watch live ici, and read Cadis’s written responses to the Committee’s questions.
12/11 – LIFE will attend a roundtable on Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy organised by Oceana. This exclusive event will bring together EU fisheries administrations, Blue NGOs, and low-impact small-scale fishers to discuss collaborative solutions and address implementation challenges.
25-28/11- European Parliament Plenary meetings in Strasbourg, during which MEPs will vote on the full college of Commissioners. Agenda available here.
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