Activities of Catherine CHABAUD related to 2023/2124(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU Action Plan: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries (debate)
Opinions (1)
OPINION EU Action Plan: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries
Amendments (50)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls the vital importance of the ocean as a pillar of the climate and food systems as it covers 71 % of the earth’s surface, produces half of our oxygen and absorbs a third of CO2 emissions; emphasises the need to develop policy and financing approaches for ocean conservation and sustainable use; calls for the global preservation of ocean-based livelihoods and ocean biodiversity; stresses the ocean’s critical role, in particular in carbon sequestration, job crearenewable energy development, job creation, poverty reduction, goods transportation and internet communications; warns of the interdependence between fisheries and food security, as 3.3 billion people depend on food from the sea to obtain at least 20 % of their animal protein intake;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses our individual and collective responsibility to preserve the ocean, which is our global common; calls for closer cooperation to improve waste and wastewater management and , the seas and marine resources, and achieve SDG 14; calls for the EU to stand as a leader in protecting and restoring marine ecosystems and formulate related policies that systematically reflect a global vision; stresses that sound and sustainable management of marine ecosystems requires the adoption of a global approach, a clear framework and an ecosystem-based approach involving all sectors and stakeholders in the blue economy; regrets the fact that European public policies on the blue economy lack synergies and are curgrently address plastic pollution by cutting down on plastics use; welcomes the Commission’managed in a compartmentalised way, to the detriment of stakeholders who are thus placed in competition with one another; underlines the need to prevent and significantly reduce maritime pollution of all sorts, especially from land-based activities; calls for closer cooperation to improve waste and wastewater management as well as to urgently combat plastic pollution by reducing the use of this material and increasing recycling rates; welcomes the Commission’s approach for a sustainable blue economy and its strategy to implement the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP); calls on the Commission, however, to revise the strategy to includeextend this ecosystem-based approach beyond fisheries management, to all sectors of the blue economy, including renewable energy and extractive industries, as part of an overarching legal and strategic framework;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Emphasises the importance for the EU to work with developing countries, in particular the ACP countries to prepare for the future development of renewable marine energy by sharing the EU expertise in marine planning and industrial development; calls on the EU to scale-up capacity building and financing for developing countries in relation to ocean and coastal management, developing ocean economy strategies, bridging governance gaps and tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and illicit trade in marine resources; also underlines the importance to come up with responses that meet local needs for zero-emission energy, that ensure marine ecosystems are protected, and that preserve traditional activities such as fishing; stresses the importance of involving coastal communities in the implementation of these actions; further highlights the importance of supporting sustainable fishing practices in the Outermost Regions, based on a sustainable use of marine resources and management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism, as a way to ensure the long-term socio-economic development of these regions;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Recalls that worldwide intensive exploitation of natural resources have been one of the main causes of marine biodiversity loss for the last 40 years alongside others such as pollution, climate change or ocean acidification; stresses that immediate action must be taken to combat overfishing, as well as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, given its negative impact on coastal communities; calls on all countries to fully implement their obligations and to put an end to overfishing and destructive practices that threaten the survival of entire species; believes that limiting catches significantly, or stopping fishing species that are most at risk is necessary to preserve biodiversity; regrets that despite the legislation in force, overfishing practices continue and that certain countries do not apply the limits imposed by the regulations; stresses that the intensive aquaculture sector is highly dependent on fish meal and fish oil from developing countries and, thus, can’t be considered as a solution to overfishing; calls on the EU and its Member States to develop sustainable aquaculture by reducing EU industry’s dependence on fish meal;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 – Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380), including its objective of establishing a coherent network of 30 % of marine protected areas in the EU by 2030, and to Parliament’s resolution of 9 June 2021 thereon1a, _________________ 1a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0277.
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2 c. Recalls that the Action Plan must take into account national, regional and local specificities in its concrete implementation, which moreover should involve the civil society in co-creation processes for sustainable business models and solutions; welcomes the role of regional sea conventions and regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs); calls on the Commission to come forward with ambitious mandates for RFMOs, aligned with the social, economic and environmental principles of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), in order to protect fishery resources in developing countries and international waters, in particular by improving stock management for species such as tropical tuna, and to improve the available data, compliance and the transparency of decision-making; stresses the need to base the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems on the best available scientific data;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems require strategic and ambitious global ocean governance benefiting local small-scale fisheries and based on sustainable fishing practices in collaboration with coastal communities; highlights the link between healthy ecosystems and economic development and calls for the EU to ensure that transparency clauses also apply to fishing resources caught by foreign fleets; insists on the importance of encouraging the decarbonisation of fishing vessels and, more generally, ensuring adequate EU support for a sustainable development of the fishing sector, notably through its partnership agreements, while also protecting and helping fishing communities throughout this transition; highlights the link between healthy ecosystems and economic development and calls for the EU to ensure that transparency and non-discrimination clauses of sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (SFPAs) are fully implemented and also apply to fishing resources caught by foreign fleets; recalls that all relevant stakeholders, including civil society and small scale fishing communities, should be consulted, informed and involved both during the negotiations and the implementation process of SFPAs; stresses the need to develop new technologies to shift away from carbon intensive, high volume, high impact fishing to low carbon, low impact fishing, ensure the developing countries’ access to such technologies and support research and innovation on ocean climate adaptation and the development of marine renewable energies; reiterates its positions on the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Regulation and the Emission Trading System (ETS) Directive to improve the energy efficiency of ships and support investment aimed at helping to decarbonise maritime transport, such as wind propulsion;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 b (new)
Citation 4 b (new)
– having regard to the Commission communication of 10 October 2007 entitled ‘An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union’ (COM(2007)0575),
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls the EU’s commitment to the principle of policy coherence for developmentiterates the commitments of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the EU Biodiversity Strategy's objective of protecting at least 30 % of the EU’s marine areas and strictly protecting at least 10 % of the EU’s marine areas by 2030; calls on the EU to promote this objective at the international level accompanied by strong safeguards to secure the rights of indigenous people, local communities and small scale fishers; recalls the EU’s commitment to the principle of policy coherence for development and build synergies between different EU policies, both internal and external, to avoid siloed-governance; highlights the need to include comprehensive human rights and rule of law clauses, within sustainable fisheries partnership agreements, which should continue to be transparent and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals; insists that EU protein consumption must not undermine food security in developing countries and that priority should be given to fishing for direct human consumption, and that sectoral support should contribute to the sustainable development and management of the fisheries sector; and coastal communities in partners countries, notably small-scale fishers; underlines that the implementation of the Action Plan must promote and encourage the training of fishermen;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 c (new)
Citation 4 c (new)
– having regard to Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive)1b, _________________ 1b OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19.
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges the mobilisation of sufficient funds to mitigate the adverse impacts on fishing communities of climate change and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; is concerned about the limited amount of EU budget allocated to protecting and restoring marine ecosystems; deplores in this regard the lack of monitoring of the implementation and proper use of funding; stresses that particular attention should be given to gender equality and women's empowerment in view of the crucial role of women and youth, especially in sustainable ocean-based economy and marine conservation areas.
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 d (new)
Citation 4 d (new)
– having regard to Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning1c (Maritime Spatial Planning Directive), _________________ 1c OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 135.
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 e (new)
Citation 4 e (new)
– having regard to Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy 1c, _________________ 1c OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p.1.
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 f (new)
Citation 4 f (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2022 entitled ‘Toward a sustainable blue economy in the EU: the role of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors’1d, _________________ 1d Texts adopted, P9_TA(2022)0135.
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 g (new)
Citation 4 g (new)
– having regard to the Court of Auditors special report No 26/2020 of 26 November 2020 entitled ‘Marine environment: EU protection is wide but not deep’,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 h (new)
Citation 4 h (new)
– having regard to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special report of 24 September 2019 on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 i (new)
Citation 4 i (new)
– having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution entitled ‘Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York on 25 September 2015, and in particular to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encourages the conservation and sustainable exploitation of the oceans, seas and marine resources,
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas there is an urgent need to step up action at EU level to reverse the decline of marine ecosystems by tackling, where possible, human and natural pressures, supporting the positive recovery of some fish stockpecies and their habitats and encouraging scientific studies and any research and development that ensure sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; whereas the ocean covers 71 % of the earth’s surface, produces half of our oxygen, absorbs a third of CO2 emissions and 90 % of the excess heat in the climate system6a, and plays a unique and vital role as a climate regulator; whereas 3.3 billion people in the world rely on up to 20% on fisheries and aquaculture products for their animal protein intake6b; whereas it is our individual and collective responsibility to preserve the ocean, which is our global common; _________________ 6a UN Climate Action, ‘The ocean – the world’s greatest ally against climate change’. 6b FAO, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022, Towards Blue Transformation.
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the EU has committed itself to delivering on the UN 2030 Agenda which includes SDG 14 "to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development"; whereas, through the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the EU committed itself to “ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30% of areas of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well- connected and equitable governed systems of protected areas”;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas there are currently up to 23 EUnumerous legislative texts on nature re, communications, storation and over 40 texts taking into account communications, strategies andegies and regulations related to the protection of the environment and fisheries management; whereas all EU policies regulations, and numerous legislative texts on the environment and fisherng to a sustainable blue economy should be managed through an integrated and coherent approach promoting synergies between all maritime activities;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Deplores the fact that, despite the EU fisheries sector’s great efforts and progress towards protecting marine ecosystems and making them sustainable, the oceans are the ocean is still subject to climate change, acidification and pollution through pollutants such as nitrites, plastics and other marine litter or waste, in particular from land- based activities, which are beyond the control of fishers and pose a significant threat to their livelihoods and marine ecosystems; recalls, as mentioned in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, that the five main direct drivers of biodiversity loss are changes in land and sea use, natural resource extraction, climate change, pollution and the invasion of alien species6c; _________________ 6c IPBES Global Assessment Report of 31 May 2019 on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the efforts made by EU fishers towards making fisheries even more sustainable and contributing to the protection and sustainable use of marine ecosystems;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Recalls the need to better take into account the ecosystem-based approach and the socio-economic aspects when implementing the CFP; encourages the Commission to promote the scientific concept of "pêchécologie" ("fishecology") which aims to reconcile conservation measures and sustainable use of living resources of the seas; stresses the need to support research and development of less impactful fishing gear, promoting for example the widening of net meshes to reduce the number of juvenile fish caught;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that Commissioner Sinkevičius’s action plan lacks a coherent approach with other Commission priorities and strategies, such as ensuring food security, the strategic autonomy of the EU and a level playing field with non-EU countries, as well as the fight against rising prices, enhancing the social dimension of the common fisheries policy (CFP) and strengthening economic growth and employment;all EU policies related to the protection and regeneration of marine ecosystems, including the Water Framework Directive6d, should be managed through an integrated and coherent approach promoting synergies between all maritime activities; recalls the need to achieve an integrated EU maritime policy framework that ensures consistency between EU biodiversity strategy, the Farm to Fork strategy, climate policy, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the CFP; _________________ 6d Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishes a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the aAction pPlan should be coherent with the objectives of the CFP that ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term and are managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of ensuring economic, social and employment benefits, and of contributing to the availability of food supplies;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Recalls the need to seek cooperation with other maritime activities in order to avoid conflicts and foster synergies, in particular with marine energy infrastructures, as promoted in the Directive on maritime spatial planning6e; _________________ 6e Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning.
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the lack of coherence between the title of the action plan and the proposals presented therein, which mainly focus on altering the fishing practices that affect species and habitats withoufact that the proposed Action plan does not addressing the potential for alignment between fishing techniques and practices and the protection or restoration of ecosystems;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Insists on the fact that MPAs are diverse in terms of size, species, habitats and ecosystems targeted and should not be seen as uniform areas; considers, therefore, that the action plan supports an oversimplified approach, in particular by proposing a blanket ban on certain fishing gear, thus giving the impression that all MPAs should be treated in the same way; calls for a balance to be struck between the proposal to inc; recognises the benefits of well-managed MPAs for marine ecosystems and fish, as well as in the short term for fishers who have a low impact on the environment, and ultimately for the entirea se closures of traditional fishing areas, on the one hand, and maintaining fishing activity, on the otherctor, in particular through the spill-over effect generated;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to strive to achieve the Green Deal target of designating 30% of EU waters as marine protected areas by 2030;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to implement by 2030 the protection measures needed to achieve the conservation and restoration targets in all marine protected areas, especially measures banning the use of fishing techniques that are incompatible with the specific conservation and restoration targets for each species, starting with the areas most at risk, the Natura 2000 areas that aim to protect marine habitats;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Recalls that the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) should be used to provide effective support for EU fishing fleets transitioning to more selective and less harmful fishing techniques, and in particular to support the fishers most affected by the ban; reiterates its call to the Commission and the Member States to ban fishing in strictly protected marine areas;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that MPAs and all strictly protected areas are not an end in themselves and that their designation as protected areas will notcannot be the sole effort pursued by the EU especially in relation to preventing bad practices by foreign fleets, such as the Chinese fleet around the Galápagos sanctuary; calls for further efforts to be made to address activities detrimental to Ocean protections, including by fleets of third countries, such as the Chinese fleet;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Reiterates its call for the EU to launch and fund scientific research programmes to map carbon-rich marine habitats in EU waters to serve as a basis for designating such areas as strictly protected MPAs in order to protect and restore marine carbon sinks in line with the UNFCCC, and to protect and restore ecosystems, in particular those on the seabed, in line with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, protecting them from human activities that could disturb and release carbon into the water column;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that the multiplication of initiatives within and outside of the action plan concerning the same fishing technique brings into question the coherenceshows that this specific issue is complex and predictability of the Commission’s actions, with its desire to implement a total ban on a certain fishing technique being diluted in a series of measurquires consultation and support of all the stakeholders involved and an investment in research and deployment of less impactful alternatives for the seabed; welcomes the creation of an International Panel for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS) as part of the call for tenders launched and managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), to provide scientific and socio-economic guidance in the development of EU ocean-related policies;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7
Subheading 7
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 8
Subheading 8
The Commission’s lack of clarity on the legal interpretation of itsthe action plan
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that, although the action plan is not legally binding, its implementation will entail significant socio-economic costs for Member States and their fleets, as it contains 90 measures in the form of regulations, guidance, analyses, roadmaps, studies, reports and initiatives; recalls the need to support fishers in their ecological transition;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Considers it essential that any restrictions, whether based on the action plan or not, should be automatically mirrored in the case of products imported from non-EU countries, especially given that the EU imports 70 % of the fish it consumes, to ensure consistency between internal and external policies, and a level playing field between EU and non-EU operators; stresses the need for awareness- raising campaigns among European citizens to promote the consumption of local and European fish, in particular from small-scale fisheries; supports initiatives such as Poiscaille (France), which promotes local fish and increases the value of unsold fish;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Recalls the need for consistency between the EU's international commitments and actions taken at European level; reiterates the commitments of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the EU Biodiversity Strategy's objective of protecting at least 30 % of the EU’s marine areas and strictly protecting at least 10 % of the EU’s marine areas by 2030;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Supports the fisheries sector’s ongoing efforts to improve fishing techniques and reduce its environmental impact without waiting for the Commission’s action plans; highlights the positive examples of restoring species stocks in protected areas while maintaining fishing activities, thanks to; supports further efforts to boost co- management arrangements where local actors takes responsibility for a sustainable management as well investing more in research, innovation and development of new fishing gears and techniques; commends in this regard the major role already played by fisheries stakeholders;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Supports the fisheries sector’s ongoing efforts to improve fishing techniques and reduce its environmental impact without waiting for the Commission’s action plans; highlights the positive examples of restoring species stocks in protected areas while maintaining fishing activities, thanks to the major role played by fisheries stakeholders;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Regrets that the proposed action plan comes at a time when the fishing sector is burdened by the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the rise in oil prices, and Brexit;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26