Greenpeace is arguing that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has failed to implement Article 17 of the EU’s reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which emphasises transparency and environmental, social and economic criteria in the allocation of fishing quota.
If DEFRA had implemented the reforms, Greenpeace argues, small-scale fishing vessels which are generally more environmentally-friendly and create thousands more jobs in coastal communities than large industrial boats, would be receiving a fair proportion of the quota.
Inshore, low-impact, boats represent almost 80% of the English and Welsh fishing fleet, yet receive a mere 6% of the fishing opportunities, with the vast majority given to large environmentally-destructive industrial ships and foreign-owned vessels.
Despite the requirements of Article 17, as well as a Conservative manifesto commitment to fishermen and coastal economies, DEFRA has simply not changed the way it distributes quota. Instead DEFRA has maintained an ‘opaque’ process from the 1990s which continues to give around 95% of fishing quota to industrial boats, at the expense of local, low impact, fishermen.
Rukayah Sarumi, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace said:
‘The British Government was right to fight alongside Greenpeace for reform of the EU’s broken fisheries policy – but now it’s got to see it through. Despite the Conservatives promising a fair deal for local fishermen in their manifesto, they’ve hung onto an opaque process which disadvantages small, family-run, fishing businesses.
‘Small fishing boats are the lifeblood of the UK’s fishing industry. They make up the vast majority of our fleet – but the Government’s only giving them the crumbs off the table: driving many fishermen towards bankruptcy. Giving a fair slice of the pie to small-scale fishers should be a no-brainer: it protects marine life, improves fish stocks and creates vital jobs in often-struggling coastal economies. And they’re more green than the big boats which receive around 95% of the fishing quota.
‘Continuing with a business-as-usual approach is not only economically and environmentally wrongheaded – it could be unlawful – and it certainly does no favours to fish stocks or coastal communities.’
Notes to editors
- The Judicial Review will take place in the High Court on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 November.
- The landmark reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2013 included the introduction of Article 17, which requires a “transparent and objective” process to allocate fishing quota according to “environmental, social and economic” criteria. Under the new CFP the environment is “paramount”.
- DEFRA still distributes 98% of the UKs quota using the “Fixed Quota Allocation” system from the 1990s, which is based on historic fishing habits not environmental criteria.
- The full text of Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy states:
“When allocating the fishing opportunities available to them, as referred to in Article 16, Member States shall use transparent and objective criteria including those of an environmental, social and economic nature. The criteria to be used may include, inter alia, the impact of fishing on the environment, the history of compliance, the contribution to the local economy and historic catch levels. Within the fishing opportunities allocated to them, Member States shall endeavour to provide incentives to fishing vessels deploying selective fishing gear or using fishing techniques with reduced environmental impact, such as reduced energy consumption or habitat damage.”
For interviews and further information, contact: Luke Massey – 07973 873 155 – luke.massey@greenpeace.org.
