OCEAN2012 Coalition and Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation – coordinator of OCEAN2012 for Greece and Cyprus- wish to bring your attention to a crucial vote that will take place tomorrow February 6th in Strasburg.

This vote is a historic opportunity for the members of the European Parliament to take a decision that will lead to the end overfishing. After decades of ineffective policies on the management of fishing stocks Europes’ seas are approaching the brink of the collapse. Specifically, 48% of the assessed fish stocks in the Atlantic and 90% in the Mediterranean are overfished.

Nevertheless, good fisheries practices applied in other seas of the world show that we should not lose hope. The effects of overfishing can be reversed if the right decisions are taken without wasting valuable time.

Many parts of the world’s oceans that had in the past suffered from overfishing, such as the U.S. and New Zealand now are experiencing the benefits of rejuvenated fishstocks, while their fishery industry is becoming increasingly sustainable. By changing their countries’ fishery policy, they allowed for the gradual recovery of fish stocks e.g today overfishing in the US has now fallen to 21%!

Tomorrow’s vote of the Common Fisheries Policy is a unique opportunity to reverse the current situation in Europe and to protect the future of the marine life, and the fishing communities that suffer due to reduced catches.

WHAT

The European Parliament votes on Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), on February 6th.

WHEN

Strasbourg February 6th 2013

1. Scheduled debate in plenary, February 5th 15.00 [http://t.co/3irUQGCj]
2. Scheduled vote in plenary , February 6th 11.30 – 12.00

CONTEXT

• For the first time the European Parliament is co-legislator on the EU’s CFP i.e. MEPs have the historic opportunity to lead on fisheries management and deliver long-lasting benefits for citizens, fishing communities and the marine environment.
• December 18th 2012, European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, led by German socialist MEP, Ulrike Rodust, voted in favour of ambitious targets and restrictions for the ending of overfishing in & by the EU. [http://bit.ly/148J50k]
• On February 6th, in Strasbourg, the entire European Parliament will have the opportunity of confirming this vote and even going further: [http://bit.ly/SvgI8P].
• Forty-eight percent of the assessed stocks in the Atlantic and approximately 90 percent in the Mediterranean are overfished.
• According to the European Commission, parts of the EU fishing fleet have the capacity to fish two to three times above sustainable levels.
• In 2002 EU member States committed to rebuilding fish stocks to levels of historic sustainability (Maximum Sustainable Yield – MSY) by 2015.
• Overfishing has led to the reduced profitability of the sector with a rate of employment loss of 4-5 percent per annum.
• If a number of EU fish stocks were restored (back to biomass levels that would produce MSY) they could double landings and revenue, and increase employment.

Multimedia:

• Award winning animation to end overfishing: http://vimeo.com/42619545

OCEAN2012 is an alliance of over 170 European organisations dedicated to stopping overfishing, ending destructive fishing practices and delivering fair and equitable use of healthy fish stocks.

Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation is the country coordinator of OCEAN2012 for Greece and Cyprus.