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The Commission unanimously adopted a proposal for a negotiation mandate for a new Fisheries Partnership Agreement protocol with Morocco on 5 January.
The new proposal aims to meet the key requirements of environmental sustainability, economic efficiency and international legality. Read the full entry
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Coming back from the Christmas break, I retain the feeling of fatigue of my fellow Greek citizens. European institutions are perceived as a distant entity expecting from Greece to do ever more and pointing at the country as not doing enough. But once in Brussels I realized that the same sense of fatigue exists among European citizens. Greece is perceived as the student, given so much but improving so little, so late.
We have to overcome this fatigue. There is no time now. Time is money in our case. Read the full entry
Number of views: 1603
The small-scale fisheries fleet in Fournoi, in the Nineties
When, not a long time ago, I met representatives of small-scale fishermen, the president of Glaros (seagull, in Greek), the association of small-scale fishermen form the island of Fournoi, handed me a picture of what once was a significant small-scale fleet based on the island. The fleet was then scrapped –he affirms– following the adoption of the latest reform of the EU common fisheries policy, in the Nineties.
I believe that small-scale fishermen greatly contribute to the economic progress and the preservation of distinctive social and cultural characteristics of European coastal communities. Read the full entry
Number of views: 2289
The news recently appeared in the media present the situation of bluefin tuna as appalling: we consume about 140% more tuna than what we are supposed to catch, vessels fish where they are forbidden to and by-catches are worrying.
Potential bluefin tuna spawning habitat in the Mediterranean Sea
Even if allegations have to be investigated and data verified, we must admit that much remains to be done to achieve sustainability and management and control measures for the protection of tuna and tuna-like species are not as effective as they should be.
As the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) holds its annual meeting in Istanbul, the European Union is tabling ambitious proposals for the conservation of Mediterranean swordfish, and tropical tunas and sharks, in line with science recommendations, and promoting mitigation measures against incidental catches of seabirds.
Number of views: 2586
Friday last week, after the meeting of the Council where EU Ministers agreed quotas for the Baltic Sea, I took the time to watch “Game over – Facing our Ocean’s Point of No Return” .
This short but comprehensive documentary outlines well the urgency of concrete actions to counter the depletion of fish stocks and the severe consequences that any delay could trigger, be that in South America, in the North Sea or in the Baltic. Cod overfishing in Canadian waters, leading to the overmultiplication of sea urchins and the resulting damages for the whole ecosystem is just an example and the fact that this happened far away must not trick us. Seventy-five percent of our stocks are overfished and if we don’t act now, only 8 out of 136 EU stocks will still be healthy by 2022.
But, together with the pressure to make all necessary steps towards sustainability, maybe for the first time during my mandate, I also felt that we are on the right path: following the Commission proposal, all quota decisions taken by last week Council are based on scientific advice!. Read the full entry
Number of views: 3191
The Black Sea
Greece did not become a member of the European Union yesterday, but it was not so long ago either, so I have not forgotten the challenges that a young member has to face and the obstacles on the path of integration.
I believe I can understand of the peoples of the countries that most recently joined the EU. And I am committed to make them feel “part of the family”.
The European Parliament and civil society in Romania and Bulgaria voice their wish for a stronger and deeper cooperation for the Black Sea. And -within my competences- I aspire to make concrete our commitment to meet the expectations. I had already very good discussions with Bulgarian and Romanian authorities. They have done a lot. So, I was happy to invite them to Brussels.
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Technically, we refer to them as “cetaceans by-catch”, but the awkward feelings you get looking at the picture of a dolphin entangled in a fishing net, dead, clearly show how this definition is cold. In Greek mythology, dolphins were messengers of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Today, dolphins and cetaceans have maybe lost their sacred aura, but they are still some of the most visible and iconic indicators of ocean health. It is clear we must give them proper protection from the many human activities – including fishing. Read the full entry
Number of views: 3553
Commissioner Maria Damanaki and Dr. Jane Lubchenco on their way to sign the EU-US joint statement against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
I am just on my way back from the United States, where I did sign a significant agreement between Europe and the US administration on putting an end to pirate fishing with Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator.
The substantial follow up in the media on this topic shows the importance given to this subject by the public at large, but also that real action is expected to follow soon. We have established an EU-US High Level Dialogue on Fisheries Policy to set out the next steps in the immediate future. Read the full entry
Number of views: 12398
Reaching the end of August, a difficult summer is ending. Now we have to speed up. The economic recession, deepening in some European countries, underlines the basic need: we have to promote concrete measures for enhancing the employment and the quality of life of young people. The basic danger is still there: our children will live in a way worse than our own. Hence, our proposals have to invest to future. “Sustainability” is now the important word, still it needs a concrete political translation.
At the beginning of the summer I presented the proposal for a fisheries policy for the future, now under discussion in the Ministers Council, the European and national parliaments. This proposal is exactly about sustainability: we try to ensure the survival of sea stocks, in order to have new employment opportunities in fisheries and aquaculture sector
There were already a lot of reactions, some of them very skeptical or negative. Is this approach realistic? Is this change too radical for the social situation of the fisheries sector? Is the environmental aspect overwhelming the social one? Read the full entry
Number of views: 5184
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