WWF has two new partners in their campaign to help EU fisheries stay alive and stay sustainable.

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

AIPCE, the EU fish processors’ association, and Eurocommerce, which represents retail, wholesale and international trade interests to the EU are joining up with the WWF team in efforts to secure changes to the strained and failing European Common Fisheries Policy. The current regulations have placed EU fisheries under great strain and are threatening their ability to provide sustainable fish and seafood.

The group of three plan to present their opinions to the European Commission and Parliament who are involved in the reforming of European Fisheries. They plan to continue by convincing more and more relevant companies and organizations to secure practices that would ensure sustainable fisheries both within and without the E.U.

Their suggestions include:

- Replacing fish quotas with mandatory, long term management plans firmly based on science for all EU fisheries by 2015

- See regional stakeholders play effective roles in developing fisheries plans and a culture of compliance for fisheries

- The enforcement of new, strong E.U. standards wherever the EU fishes and this should be reflected in EU fishery and trade polices and fishing agreements and partnerships.

- Fisheries policy should also seek to maximise value from catch to consumer, avoiding waste and ensuring stable supplies of seafood and added value at each stage of supply chain - though some argue this has deeper environmental implications.

HOPE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

Sally Bailey, Head of Fisheries and Seafood, at WWF-UK says: “In the last decade, we have seen huge steps by the seafood industry towards sustainability. We are united in a desire to bring European fisheries back to wide scale health and prosperity, and to do this we must change the current, ineffectual way our fisheries are managed. Today’s alliance already represents a very significant portion of the supply chain from the processing and trading sector and the retail sector, and from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Sustainability is a conservation necessity and a business necessity today.”

AIPCE President Guus Pastoor explained their decision to join forces with their new allies when he said; “For the sake of an improved CFP, EU Fish processors and traders are convinced that it is necessary to join forces to achieve sustainable and profitable fisheries for the future of all EU citizens. Therefore we feel committed to support an alliance of partners seeking for a reform which meets the needs of the sector.”

The three partners continue to lobby for substantial change in E.U. Fisheries policy in order to maintain sustainability within seafood resources.

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