Fishing: reinforced controls to guarantee traceability from the net of the fisherman to the plate of the consumer

In line with its commitment to fully implement the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), improve security and consumer information on the quality and origin of fishery products, Renew Europe voted today, in the parliamentary committee on fisheries (PECH), in favour of a modernization and improvement of the control of fishing activities.

Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA (PNV, Spain), Renew Europe spokesperson for this file within PECH, said: "We have achieved a realistic and pragmatic balance between the ideal and the possible, and it represents an undeniable advance on a Regulation that was in urgent need of revision. The control tools are modernised, with a commitment to digitalisation. The measures approved will improve the data available, reinforce the traceability of catches, reduce the administrative burden on fishing operators, fight against illegal fishing and provide legal certainty to the system of sanctions, among other measures"

The outcome provides better documentation of catches and improves both control but most importantly security for vessels, as Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) will now be for all vessels. To combat marine litter and lost equipment, Renew Europe managed to introduce better data sharing provisions on a European level. We also managed to get support for a European list of infringements, which will even further improve a level playing field for European fishers, and more common implementation of the CFP and Control Regulation in Member States.

Many of the new investments needed to implement the new obligations will be supported by funds from the new European Maritime and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

To ensure transparency and traceability from net to plate of any product made from fish and seafood, new traceability provisions will be introduced which will enable consumers to have more information on what ends up on their plates.