On General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025 - all sections

OPINION

The Committee on Fisheries calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1. Recalls the economic, social and environmental relevance of fisheries, aquaculture and maritime affairs; stresses the strategic role of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) not only in ensuring food security and resilience of marine ecosystems and food systems but also in boosting the development of a sustainable and equitable blue economy that develops within ecological limits and upholding the competitiveness of Union fisheries and aquaculture sectors;

2. Recalls the effects on the food supply chain, fuel costs and price volatility caused by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, as well as its impacts on Union fishing activities and the livelihoods of fishers, especially in the Black Sea;

3. Stresses that Russia’s military aggression has led to significant disruptions in trade flows, increased price volatility and an increase in energy prices, which has impacted Union fishing activities and the livelihoods of fishers, especially small-scale fisheries, requiring the use of European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) crisis measures to mitigate the effects of inflation for fishers, producers and consumers;

4. Highlights that Black Sea fishers, their fishing activities and livelihoods are additionally impacted by drifting sea mines as a result of the Russian aggression in Ukraine;

5. Deplores the Russian military aggression towards Ukraine and expresses our full support to Ukraine; expresses concern over the lack of clarity over the consequences of the Commission proposal (2024/0060(COD)) to cut the budget of the EMFAF by 105.000.000 EUR, cuts which could impact the funding of scientific advice, data collection, fisheries control and the contributions to Advisory Councils and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and therefore encourages the Commission to present an analysis of the clear consequences of this cut and potential other options to ensure proper funding for EU fisheries related actions;

6. Recalls that, sustainable management of fishing resources have to be based on the most updated scientific advice, that are directly dependent on accurate fishing data collection, including recreational fisheries, and fisheries control, and without them the sustainability of fisheries management are put in cause;

7. Insists that special attention must be devoted to the fishing fleets in order to improve safety, working conditions, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, including renewal of the fleet, in particular of small scale fishing fleet segment, while not excluding vessels above 24 metres in length from funding; reiterates that this can contribute to make the fishing sector more attractive for the younger generations and must not be confused with fleet expansion or increased fishing capacity or ability to catch fish;

8. Urges the Commission to propose actions to increase the global share of sustainable EU aquaculture production that does not impact the food security in third countries, which contributes to the supply of aquatic protein of high quality and with a low carbon footprint; calls on the Member States and the Commission to make full use of the financial resources available for the EMFAF in order to sustainably boost the growth of this sector;

9. Recalls that fish is rich in protein and therefore has strategic value and is essential for food security; points out capture fisheries are among the lowest impact systems for the production of animal protein;

10. Recalls that, as a result of Brexit, the Union fishing sector is still experiencing considerable economic disruptions especially with regard to the unilateral institution of fishing restricted areas in UK waters, as well as with Norway; calls on the Commission, therefore, as a matter of priority, to secure commensurate compensation to offset the damage suffered by the sector and fishing communities, in particular after the end of transitional period in June 2026;

11. Insists on the need to improve scientific and technical knowledge, including marine social science, in order to ensure the development and use of the most reliable research-based solutions; reiterates the importance of guaranteeing sufficient financial resources for Member States’ and European scientific entities so that they can collect, manage, analyse, use and exchange fisheries sector data and invest in research on innovative, and more selective fishing techniques with technology-openness;

12. Reiterates the need for an ecosystem based approach which covers actions tackling all pressures on marine resources, including proper management of seals and cormorants;

13. Notes that the Black Sea, which has been for decades subject to pressures from manmade activities, has been significantly affected by military activities stemming from the Russian aggression; notes that the primary impacts of the war on coastal and marine ecosystems, including chemical pollution, loud noise, physical damage to habitats from shelling and fortifications, and curtailment of conservation activities directly affect also the territorial waters of the EU Member States, including the area of the Danube Delta, an unparalleled biodiversity hotspot; calls for funding for data collection on the affected ecosystems and populations of species, and for mitigation and corrective and restoration measures where possible;

14. Highlights the alarming situation of the Baltic Sea where historical overfishing together with long term pollution has created the collapse and near collapse of several stocks; confirms the pressing need for further action to fully implement an ecosystem based approach, including actions aiming at securing biodiverse and healthy marine ecosystems; points out the need for further research and data gathering as well as proper implementation of fisheries rules such as the Control Regulation and the need for proper funding in this regard;

15. Draws attention to the international dimension of the CFP and its economic, social and environmental benefits; calls on the Commission to devote adequate resources to ocean governance; stresses the importance of international cooperation, secure participation of stakeholders as well as facilitate local cooperation with actors in third countries, transparency, traceability and a level playing field for delivering on the Union’s commitments;

16. Pledges its support to the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; calls therefore for adequate and increased funding for Union policies fighting IUU fishing worldwide, including by strengthening checks on goods at Union borders, targeted development aid and by fostering cooperation with third-countries but also among Member States;

17. Calls on the Commission to adequately fund measures aiming to effectively make the Union fleet more fuel efficient and less dependent on fossil fuels; further calls on the Commission to fund research on adapting zero-emission propulsion systems for fishing vessels, such as e-fuels, wind and electric propulsion, having in account different gear types to be used, with a realistic time schedule;)

18. Encourages Member States to allocate funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support innovation for the decarbonisation of the fishing industry and to finance training programmes contributing to a more skilled workforce while boosting generation renewal;

19. Underlines the role of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) in ensuring a level playing field for the Union fleet, and especially in discouraging and curbing IUU fishing in European waters and also at a global level; considers that the adoption of the new Control Regulation (EU 2023/2842) implies an important increase in EFCA’s tasks and responsibilities; recognises that the progressive implementation of the new control measures will need some activities in the form of pilot projects and additional budgetary support; calls on the Commission to provide adequate funds to EFCA to tackle the new tasks and activities, including participation to the tripartite working arrangement between the EFCA, the European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) considering EFCA’s contribution to the new EU Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS);

20. Stresses that generational renewal, including diversifying the profession and gender mainstreaming, is one of the European fishing sector’s priorities; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to support the mobilisation of budgetary resources to help young people to take up careers in fisheries and the wider sustainable blue economy sector, to make the sector more diverse and to encourage women to join it; further invites the Commission to support the creation of an association of young European fishers;

21. Reiterates the need to provide substantial support for disadvantaged coastal areas and European outermost regions; calls for the Commission to allow financial support for fleet renewal in the European outermost regions by ending the ban on State aid for vessel replacements; recalls that, contrary to the provisions of the EMFAF, this objective has not received any European funding in any region;

22. Stresses the need to provide financial support for the definition of the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the outermost regions, in line with the goal of the UN to preserve 30 % of our oceans by 2030, especially for the compensation of potential losses of the affected fishers, and monitoring and management programmes of the regional authorities;

23. Reiterates the need to initiate more effective measures to eliminate barriers for Producer Organisations to fully deliver on their missions by addressing the difficulties for small-scale fisheries Producer Organisations regarding differential treatment by national administrations, be it in terms of Producer Organisation recognition, day-to-day financing, administrative support or eligibility of measures;

24. Reiterates the need to re-establish the POSEI-Fisheries in the Outermost Regions, lost in 2014 with its integration into the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, in line with the Amaro report on the “Assessment of the new communication of the European Commission on Outermost Regions 2022/2147(INI)”.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The Chair in her capacity as rapporteur for opinion declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

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