Press Releases
Europêche underscores fisheries priorities at Ocean Board kick-off
The inaugural meeting of the European Ocean Board convened a broad range of stakeholders from across sectors to support the implementation of the EU Ocean Pact. As a full member of the Board, Europêche played a key role in conveying the perspectives of the fisheries sector into this cross-sectoral platform. Discussions highlighted the urgent need to improve coherence across policies and stakeholders, while ensuring that efforts deliver concrete and measurable outcomes.
Europeche urges immediate emergency action as fuel price crisis forces fleet tie-ups
Europêche, the representative body for the European fishing industry, met today with Commissioner Kadis to address the escalating fuel price crisis, warning of an urgent and rapidly deteriorating situation across the EU fleet.
Opening the EU market to Indonesia, the Indian ocean’s largest tuna fleet: at what cost?
The draft EU–Indonesia agreement , which has just been published by the European Commission[1], provides preferential market access for tuna. Fresh and frozen tuna fillets would be fully liberalised with 0% duty from entry into force and no quota, while processed tuna products are subject to tariff-rate quotas: 5,000 tonnes per year for tuna loins and 800 tonnes per year for cans, both duty-free within the quota only. Preferential access is conditional on strict rules of origin, meaning that only tuna caught by Indonesian vessels, or by EU vessels and processed in Indonesia, can benefit.
News
iFish, We Fish
The commercial fisheries of the EU stretch for thousands of square miles, from the inhospitable seas of the Arctic North, to the warmer and more favourable climes of the Southern Mediterranean. These communal waters harbour a plethora of commercial species of fish and shellfish, the landings of which form an integral part of the economies of 23 member countries, accounting for a colossal 4.9 million tonne catch, from a fleet of 87,500 vessels, a statistic that indicates a world ranking of 5th largest in terms of total output.
European Projects
The Catching the Potential Project was officially kicked off on the 28th of May with the project consortium from seven EU Member States. In the course of the next three years, we will work together on the project's goal to develop an European, perhaps international, standard in the field of sustainability training for fishers.
Catching the potential’s ultimate goal is to develop a European standard for sustainable fisheries training. Learn more about the steps of the project.
The project as a whole, consists in partially implementing the work programme of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Sea Fishing in order to significantly make progress in various key areas of interest for Social Partners. The main issues covered by the project are mainly dealing with how to improve health, working conditions and safety at sea of our fishermen.
Home by the Sea -Can fisheries and wind farms co-exist?
Sustainable fishing activities require space as does the development and operation of offshore wind farms. In order to safeguard the future of our seas and oceans, the EU adopted back in 2014 a Directive for maritime and coastal spatial planning urging Member States to ensure that human activities at sea take place in an efficient, safe and sustainable way and reduce users’ conflicts. At the same time, to tackle climate change, EU governments are determined to answer to the EU’s Paris Agreement nationally determined contribution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990. For this purpose, some countries are pushing to increase offshore wind power 40-fold by 2030 in Europe.
Needless to say, the European wind industry has an ambitious plan, hereby claiming a vast amount of space. Therefore, the question 'Can fisheries and wind farms co-exist?’ is a relevant but complex question which will become more pressing in the near future.
Home by the Sea by Hiske Ridder. www.conpuls.nl
On behalf of and many thanks to: Job Schot, Dirk Kraak and Cor Vonk, www.vissersvoorvrijezee.nl. Julien Theore, Silvain Gallaisl and Olivier Becquet, https://pecheursartisans.com. Bertrand Wendling, https://sathoan.fr. Pim Visser, VisNed.nl. Rosalie Tukker, http://europeche.chil.me.