The fisheries ministers of France, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain will each get a letter from the European Commission today (24 June) warning them of shortcomings in putting the EU’s Mediterranean regulation into practice.

Agreed in 2006, the law requires the seven EU states bordering the Mediterranean to draw up national plans to protect sensitive habitats, ban “dangerous” fishing practices and put limits on fish that can be caught.

The law took effect in 2007 but countries were given until 1 June 2010 to get their plans in order. Damanaki has upbraided the five countries for failing to submit proper plans. The faults include not giving scientific information on fish stocks, failing to analyse the economic impact on local fishermen, and not giving adequate descriptions of fishing gear.

The Commission has turned down requests by all five states for opt-outs from the legislation so as to allow their fishermen to use finer-mesh ‘seine’ nets.

Overfishing

Earlier this month, Damanaki ended the bluefin tuna fishing season several days early, citing overfishing. More than half of the 46 Mediterranean fish stocks that EU scientists have been able to assess are overfished, including hake, red mullet, red shrimp and common sole.

The Commission is struggling to maintain momentum in its efforts to overhaul rules on fisheries management. On Tuesday (29 June), fisheries ministers meet in Luxembourg to discuss options for reforming the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) – their third discussion since April.

But the Commission is concerned that not enough progress has been made. Officials had expected to be further advanced by now, as legislative proposals are scheduled for publication in early 2011.

Saskia Richartz at Greenpeace, a conservation group, said that member states seemed to be backtracking in their support for reform. “They are holding back and not wanting to deal with the [overfishing] crisis,” she said.

The process had been slowed, she added, by staffing changes in the Commission, including the imminent departure of the director-general for maritime affairs and fisheries, as well as the recent decision to change the official in charge of CFP reform.

“The Commission must now bring the debate back up to a level that reflects the urgency and potential of decisions that will determine the future health of our seas and oceans,” Richartz said.

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