Debate: Commission implementing Regulation  / of  September  determining the existing deep-sea fishing areas and establishing a list of areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known to occur or are likely to occur
Date: THURSDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2022
Speaker: Helena Dalli
Language: EN

Some of you claimed that the Commission did not use the latest data. We want to be clear on this: any scientific information can only be taken into account if it was fully communicated and reviewed within the scientific bodies in response to data calls issued to all Member States as of 2017. The ICES advice is the result of a thorough scientific, peer reviewed process involving leading scientists in the field, and the latest information communicated by Spain as part of the 2022 data call can only be reviewed and considered in the next ICES advice. So you will understand that ICES cannot take this data into account retroactively and include them into the 2021 ICES advice, which was the basis for the implementing act. Also, some of you asked why we did not wait for two more months to have the new and improved scientific advice. The Commission and ICES have waited many years for the correct data submission from the Member States to prepare this much-needed scientific advice. So, once this advice was available, no day was wasted as the Commission was fully aware of its long-overdue legal obligation to finalise the implementing regulation. Waiting for updated scientific advice would have led to more significant delay and not just two months, as the whole adoption process should have been restarted, including a new two-months notification in the UK. And all in all, a further delay would be unjustifiable after such a long delay of four years and such a long consultation process, which was started in 2019 with the national administrations and stakeholders. Also, some of you said that we did not analyse the socio-economic impacts of the closures. So the basis for the adoption of the implementing act is the scientific advice proposes management options that consider the fishing intensity and, therefore, the socio-economic impacts. I witnessed with great concern, however, that it is still very difficult for the fishing sector, notably in Spain, to quantify the exact impact of its own fleet. We see various and often very different figures, both in terms of vessels and fishers impacted as well as the possible overall cost to regional economies. The Commission has repeatedly asked for detailed and precise information, but so far without success. As regards repeating claims that there was no consultation process and that the industry has not been involved, I want to be clear on this once again that over the past two years, the Commission carried out an extensive stakeholder consultation through a series of meetings with Member States, advisory councils and stakeholders. For the first time, ICES invited stakeholders to a workshop to better inform the scientific advice. And this workshop took place in 2020 and representatives from all stakeholders were invited to provide meaningful feedback. In addition, over the last years the Commission held regular meetings with the national administrations and stakeholders to inform, consult and debrief on this topic, well ahead of proposing the draft implementing act. So, to counter the alleged lack of consultation, the Commission has also disclosed to concerned Member States and stakeholders the exchanges on the matter with all stakeholders and Member States last September. With regards to the claim that the Commission had called the fisheries industry a ‘destructive industry’, I categorically reject this. The Commission has certainly never said such a thing, and the Commission has, of course, no intention to destroy the fishing industry. On the contrary, what we want to achieve collectively, together with the sector, is to ensure a transition towards sustainable fishing practices. And let me clarify once again that the implementing act adopted by the Commission last September did not and could not change anything that is already laid down in the regulation of 2016, neither on the gears affected by this implementing act nor on the deficit concerns. It applies to all bottom gears and it applies to all 87 listed areas, but only below 400 metres’ depth. The Commission has asked the Spanish administration several times to share its assessment on the socio-economic impact, which so far we have seen only indifferent figures quoted in the press. So we now look forward to receiving their formal assessment soon. In this context, I point to the encouraging statement made by the head of the Spanish government, Mr Sánchez, that the majority of the 337 Spanish vessels affected could continue to operate as usual. And I recall that the EU’s bold step forward in protecting 87 areas of vulnerable marine ecosystems will allow these areas to finally recover and replenish, and our fishers will clearly benefit from this. A healthy ocean is a promise for a better future for our coastal communities and our economies. And only healthy oceans can be climate mitigators and biodiversity hotspots.