Europe’s common fisheries policy is set for radical reform after negotiators for EU governments and the European Parliament reached agreement in Brussels at 03.00 this morning.
 
Supporters of the deal claim that it paves the way for rebuilding Europe’s depleted fish stocks and curbing the discard of millions of tonnes of fish each year.
 
British representatives have played a key role in securing the reform.  They say that it demonstrates how EU policies can be changed for the better.
 
An obligation to land all pelagic fish, such as mackerel, will commence from 1 January 2015.  Other reforms, which must yet be formally approved by ministers and MEPs, will be phased in over subsequent years.
 
Long term management plans are to be prepared for every fishery with the aim of increasing fish numbers above the maximum sustainable yield. 
 
Fishermen will have a new role in determining practices appropriate to local conditions as micro-management from Brussels is reduced.
 
Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies, secretary of the cross-party ‘Fish for the Future’ group in the European Parliament, described the deal as a major step forward that would promote sustainable fishing practices.
 
He said:

Our treatment of Europe’s seas has been a disgrace.  Overfishing has destroyed the jobs of tens of thousands of fishermen and left us dependent on imports for more than half the fish we eat.
 
But we have learnt lessons. Across Europe there is a strong desire now to listen to the scientists, rebuild fish stocks, cut discards, and give our fishing industry a better future.
 
This is not a perfect deal but it’s a huge step in the right direction.

 
Davies praised the work of the European Parliament’s rapporteur, German MEP Ulrike Rodust, and Britain’s fisheries minister Richard Benyon, who he said had played a vital role in promoting the reform.