Go Fish! The Common Fisheries Policy of the

European Union and its effects on the United Kingdom and Norway

Amy N. DurbinGeorge Mason University

April 2012

Image. http://www.computescotland.com/eu-fishing-edge-of-collapse-4444.php

What is the Common Fisheries Policy?

A supranational policy that was created to manage the fishing industry in an effort to preserve traditional fishing patterns and diffuse tensions of the EU Member-States with heavy fishing sectors.

There are eight elements to the policy with three specific rules about fishing practices.

• Fishing Effort Limitations• Total Allowable Catch/Quotas• Technical Measures

Maria Damanaki, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner

Image: http://europa.eu/newsroom/calendar/event/id/2764/mode/standalone

Regulation of the CFP

• European Fisheries Control Agency– Vigo, Spain– Coordinates fisheries inspection control and

inspections by each Member-State

• Regional Advisory Councils– 7 councils, 5 based on geography, 2 for pelagic

stock

• Multi-annual plans– Sets goals for specific fish stock to ensure

maximum sustainable yield

Regional Advisory Councils

Image. http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/partners/regional_advisory_councils/index_en.htm

The United Kingdom and the CFP

• Around 25,000 people are employed by the fishing industry in the UK

• UK registered vessels must maintain a real economic link with a UK population dependent on fisheries and related industries (through various ways)

• Scotland is concerned over the reforms leading to a cut in fleet size and jobs

• Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been critical of the current CFP

• UK responded positively to the 2009 Green Paper• “Hugh’s Fish Fight” http://www.fishfight.net/

Norway and the CFP

• Jointly manages stocks in the North Sea, partners in coastal state agreements on herring, blue whiting, and mackerel in the Northeast Atlantic

• Norwegian law conflicts with EU law regarding discrimination based on nationality, non-nationals in Norway aren’t allowed to own more than 40% of a fishing vessel

• Management based on limited entry, TACs and individual vessel quotas

• Regulatory system is more streamlined, clear chain of responsibility and accountability

• Norway notes that the EU’s CFP is fragmented with no level-playing field between key actors

Problems with the CFP

• Lack of focus regarding objectives of sustainability

• Unacceptable levels of discards• Fleet overcapacity, overfishing, too large

TACs• Lack of reliable data to asses the stocks• Slow development of aquaculture in the EU• Issue of micro-management from Brussels

2012 Reform Objectives of the CFP

• Clarify the objectives of the CFP• Enhance consistency of the policy initiatives• Preserve marine ecosystems and stop discards• Promote the development of aquaculture• Develop multi-annual plans based on an

ecosystem approach• System of transferrable quotas• New EU fund for fisheries and maritime-affairs

Reform Process

Image: https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

Conclusion

• Members of the Commission, the scientific community, Member-States all talk about regionalism and preventing discards, but not the measures taken to ensure compliance

• Compliance has been a difficult task because it has largely been left up to each Member-State to ensure that the fishing rules were be applied

• The UK, especially Scotland, has a large fishing community, sharing waters with third-countries which will have an impact on the Member-State as polices will have to be merged

• Norway may want to begin the accession process again, but only if there is a competent and fully functioning fisheries policy in place

• If all goes well, the new Common Fisheries Policy will be in effect January 1, 2013

Sources

• “Common Fisheries Policy.” Politics.Co.UK. Square Digital Media. 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2012.• Eckstein, Anne. Final Battle Ahead Over CFP Reform. Europolitics. 8 Jul. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2012.• Eckstein, Anne. MEPs lash out at CFP reform. Europolitics. 15 Jul. 2011. Web 3 Apr. 2012• European Commission. Fisheries. EU 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2012• European Economic and Social Committee. The Common Fisheries Policy: The road travelled and the challenges ahead.

Luxembourg: European Communities, 2002. Print• European Commission. Communication from the Commission on the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Luxembourg: European Communities, 2002. Print• Eurostat. Fishery Statistics 1990-2005. Luxembourg: European Communities, 2006.Print.• “European Commission: A fisheries Policy for the future.” Europa. 13 Jul. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2012• “European Commission: Questions and Answers on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.” Europa. 13 Jul. 2011.

Web. 3 Apr. 2012• European Movement. The EU’s Common Fisheries Policy. euromove. Jul. 2009. Web. 3 Apr. 2012• European Policy Centre. Fishy Business- Time to reform the EU fisheries policy? EPC. 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2012• European Commission. The Common Fisheries Policy, A User’s Guide. Luxembourg: European Communities. 2009. Web.

3 Apr. 2012• Foss, Torben, Thorolfur Matthiasson and Hanne Ulrichsen. Iceland, Norway, and the EC Common Fisheries Policy. Oslo:

Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. 2003. Print.• Lutchman, Indrani, Chris Grieve, Sophie des Clers, and Elizabeth De Santo. Towards a Reform of the Common Fisheries

Policy in 2012-A CFP Health Check. London: IEEP Jul. 2009. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.• Symes, David. “The Future of Europe’s Fisheries: Towards a 2020 Vision”. Geography 86.4 (2001): 38-328. Web. 28 Mar.

2012.• Image. http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/40683• Image. https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/• Image. http://www.computescotland.com/eu-fishing-edge-of-collapse-4444.php• Image. http://fishreg.jrc.ec.europa.eu/projects