Following publication of the EU Council conclusions on Blue Growth in the marine and maritime sector, Our Fish Campaign manager, Rebecca Hubbard, suggested that the Council of the EU’s aspirations for Blue Growth should focus on practical and achievable targets, like of ensuring that EU governments correctly implement the reformed Common Fisheries Policy.
“Unfortunately, putting the word ‘sustainable’ 26 times in a document is no guarantee of EU member states commitment to delivering either sustainable fisheries or healthy seas”, she noted.
Ms Hubbard urged EU governments to make real concrete acts, instead of making grandiose claims to marine sustainability, such as setting annual fishing limits according to scientific advice and enforcement of existing fishing rules that will clear the path for real blue growth in EU waters.
Further, she added: “By rebuilding most of the commercial EU fish stocks just in North Atlantic waters in line with legislation, we could provide 2,052,639 tonnes of additional fish per year (enough to feed 89.2 million EU citizens), €1,565 million additional gross revenues per year, €824 million additional net profits per year, and between 20,362 and 64,092 new jobs each year.
The “EU conclusions on Blue Growth”, as adopted on June 26, explains that it recognises the need for sustainable use of oceans and the need for a stable regulatory framework, upon which marine activities depend, as the traditional and emerging marine and maritime economic sectors are important to Europe’s sustainable blue growth and employment.
Explore more in the following document:
