The Committee on Fisheries (PECH) of the European Parliament (EP) has launched an own-initiative report (INI) on the topic of the Blue Economy “Toward a sustainable blue economy in the EU: the role of fisheries and aquaculture sectors.”
This initiative is following the publication by the European Commission of a Communication on “Sustainable blue economy: Transforming EU’s Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future” last May 2021. The first draft was debated last 29 November.
The Members of the PECH Committee generally criticized the lack of specific objectives and action in the EC communication and reaffirmed the central role of fisheries and aquaculture, as as strategic sectors that “provide healthy food for people, job creation and a future for youth.”
The rapporteur, Ms. Carvalhais regretted the “lack of general management of marine spatial planning” and requested a special attention to small-scale fisheries as the most vulnerable and fragile sector: “There must be a balance between the development of all activities and the need to ensure continuity and stability of the more traditional activities.” Several other MEPs underpinned the social importance of coastal communities as well as the importance of their participation in decision-making processes that affect them.
Read more:
https://www.cffacape.org/news-blog/blue-economy-meps-call-for-a-balance-between-new-sectors-and-traditional-activities-particularly-small-scale-fisheries