By Beatrice Jeschek

The seminar on how the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) could feed into an Integrated Maritime Policy made one thing clear:

Small-scale fisheries matter, and they should be considered when a new common fisheries policy is being adopted.

The EU’s committee of regions, which organised the seminar yesterday morning at the Corinthia San Gorg in Malta, stated that fisheries policy would be one of the pillars of maritime affairs, with declining fish stocks, fleets facing restructuring and thousands of jobs on the line. According to the committee "one might argue that now more than ever an integrated approach is required".

Furthermore, the committee argued that the development of the EU’s integrated Maritime Policy is at a stage where it is clear that the challenges of the seas can only be successfully managed with effective coordination between all parties involved.

Michael Cohen, President of the Local Council Association, urged the seminar's participants to come to a decision now and specifically to involve the local decision holders as they would be closest to the people.

He pledged for creating sustainable fishing as this would lead to create a number of jobs. “We need to take care of what we have”, Cohen said. "If we guarantee high quality of fish consumption we also need to take care of the maritime environment. We need to generate a policy that provides health instead of one pushing already existing problems.”

This so-called “cross-sectoral approach” also includes attention towards small-scale fisheries.

This aspect has been underlined by Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino, who spoke yesterday morning at the seminar in favour of a reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.


“We need to use our funding to support small scale producers and communities. We have studies that small scale fishing operations fish more sustainably and contribute more greatly to employment”, Pullicino said.

He added that there would be no sense in having different rules for the EU and North African fisherman if they were working in the same seas.

The overall aim should be, according to the EU’s committee of regions and the WWF, to minimize the damage caused by human activities and at the same time contributing to prospering coastal communities and their related industries.

Former Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg emphasized how important the balance between EU ruling and maritime sustainability is. Additionally, scientific research would have to be funded to make sure the policy is on the right track.

Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki hopes to have proposals for the CFP reform ready by summer 2011.

This article was first published 16/10/2010 on maltastar.com.