Major Reforms for EU Fisheries Policy

MEPs backed the proposed changes by 502 votes to 137, after years of campaigning brought attention to the amount of waste the current system generates.

Currently, a quarter of all fish caught by boats are thrown back into the sea, often dead or dying, because of the quota system in place.

The new package will put an end to this, as well as helping to protect endangered stocks. It is hoped that it can be implemented as early as next year, becoming law within all EU countries.

The main changes will affect fishing quotas. Instead of different EU countries bargaining over quotas, fishing will be based on the maximum sustainable yield, which should help protect stocks, put an end to discards and benefit small-scale, environmentally-friendly fishing.

Ulrike Rodust, the German Social Democrat MEP who presented the package, said, “The reforms will bring an end to the December ritual of fisheries ministers negotiating until 4am, neglecting scientific advice and setting too high fishing quotas.

“As of 2015, the principle of maximum sustainable yield shall apply, which means that each year we do not harvest more fish than a stock can reproduce. Our objective is that depleted fish stocks recover by 2020. Not only nature will benefit, but also fishermen – bigger stocks produce higher yields.”