2022/2059(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Citation 3 a (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’,

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Citation 4 d (new)

– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 16 September 2021 on ‘Fishers for the future: Attracting a new generation of workers to the fishing industry and generating employment in coastal communities’,

Amendment 11 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Citation 4 e (new)

– having regard to the publication of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) of 26 September2019 entitled ‘Social data in the EU fisheries sector (STECF-19-03)’,

Amendment 12 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Citation 4 f (new)

– having regard to the Ministerial Declaration on an action plan for small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, signed in Malta on 26 September 2018 by 18 countries and the European Union, which sets the target of ensuring long-term environmental, economic and social sustainability for small-scale fisheries within the next decade (2018-2028) through concrete and coherent measures to address challenges and reinforce opportunities,

Amendment 13 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Citation 4 g (new)

– having regard to the 2018 study by the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD) entitled ‘Relative Effects of Fisheries Support Policies’,

Amendment 14 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Citation 4 h (new)

– having regard to the Fisheries Committee study entitled ‘Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on EU fisheries and aquaculture’ of July 2021,

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Recital A (new)

A. whereas, according to Special Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC), the Mediterranean is one of the major reservoirs of marine and coastal biodiversity, with 28% of endemic species, 7.5% of the world’s marine fauna and 18% of its marine flora;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Recital B (new)

B. whereas the Mediterranean basin is home to over 150 million inhabitants, including numerous fishing communities; whereas 84 % of the fishing fleet is small- scale and artisanal; whereas the fisheries sector represents one million direct and indirect jobs;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Recital C (new)

C. whereas the Commission proposed in its 2030 biodiversity strategy to have at least 30 % of the sea area in the EU protected; whereas according to the Mediterranean Protected Areas Network (MedPAN) 8.33 % of the Mediterranean Sea is currently under protection status;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Recital D (new)

D. whereas the Mediterranean basin is warming 20% faster than the global average, with the occurrence of marine heatwaves doubling since the 1980s; whereas Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC) estimates that this could lead to the local extinction of up to 50 % of commercial fish and marine invertebrates by 2050;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Recital E (new)

E. whereas, according to the latest General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) report on the state of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries (2020), the proportion of overfished stocks decreased from 88 % in 2014 to 75 % in 2018;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Citation 3 b (new)

– having regard to the FAO report entitled ‘The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2022’,

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Recital F (new)

F. whereas marine litter is a major concern in the Mediterranean, with micro plastics concentration in the Mediterranean reaching a record level of 1.25 million fragments per km2, making the Mediterranean one of the most polluted seas in the world; whereas fisheries both contributes to and suffers from this situation;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Recital G (new)

G. whereas an integrated and sustainably-managed blue economy strategy, bringing together such activities as shipping, seagoing passenger transport, fisheries, energy generation, ports, shipyards, coastal tourism and land-based aquaculture, has the potential to address the multidimensional environmental challenges the Mediterranean is facing, while providing decent jobs and preserve the livelihood of local communities, contribute to food security and underpin the green transition of the broader Mediterranean area;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Recital H (new)

H. whereas such a strategy requires adequate maritime multilevel governance, allowing countries and regions across the Mediterranean sea to coordinate action, develop policy tools more effectively and maximise the use of funding and financial instruments;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Recital I (new)

I. whereas the Cohesion Funds should support activities that respect the climate and environmental standards and priorities of the Union and do no significant harm to environmental objectives, as enshrined in the horizontal principles of the Common Provision Regulation;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Recital J (new)

J. whereas Member States should apply an ecosystem-based approach to Maritime Spatial Planning, including a robust Strategic Environmental Assessment that considers the cumulative impacts of all maritime activities, climate change, the precautionary principle, sensitivity mapping, and including active stakeholder engagement, consistently with the EU Green Deal climate and biodiversity goals;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Recital K (new)

K. whereas 73% of commercial stocks in the Mediterranean are fished outside biologically sustainable limits;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Recital L (new)

L. whereas fishing pressure has decreased in the Mediterranean by on average 21% in the last decade and, for certain priority species by as much as 75%; whereas the effects of this reduction are starting to show in the increased biomass of some stocks;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Recital M (new)

M. whereas increased pollution from human activities, habitat degradation, the introduction of non-indigenous species, overfishing and the impacts of climate- driven changes on the marine environment and ecosystems risk compromising the sustainability of Mediterranean fisheries;

Amendment 28 #

Rosanna CONTE, Annalisa TARDINO, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT

Draft opinion
Recital N (new)

N. whereas providing social security benefits for fishers, especially small-scale fisheries, is key in ensuring the resilience of the sector and the transition towards more sustainable fisheries;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Recital O (new)

O. whereas there have been changes in water temperatures in recent years, with these increasing significantly in the Mediterranean, which is impacting strongly on fish stocks and on the health of the seas;

Amendment 3 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Citation 3 c (new)

– having regard to the MedFish4Ever Ministerial Declaration of the Mediterranean coastal states, adopted in Valletta, Malta, on 30 March 2017,

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Recital P (new)

P. whereas there is a need to ensure that the possible and necessary exploitation of the many other assets of the maritime space – energy, mining, nautical or tourist activities, and even offshore aquaculture, among others – does not undermine the guarantee of fishers’ historic rights of access to exploitation of the sea;

Amendment 31 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Recital Q (new)

Q. whereas the EMFAF Regulation imposes an obligation on the Member States to take into account the specific needs of small-scale coastal fishing when carrying out the analysis of the situation in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats referred to in the Regulation;

Amendment 32 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Recital R (new)

R. whereas the Mediterranean is an enclosed sea and the status of the water and the ecosystems depends not only on the behaviour of Community operators but on the joint policies of all the countries bordering it, which share the same sea basin;

Amendment 33 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Recital S (new)

S. whereas women play an important role in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, and whereas there is a need to increase their visibility and ensure equal access to employment in the sector, as well as appropriate legal recognition;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)

-1. Welcomes the renewed political impetus in recent years to alleviate the growing environmental degradation of the Mediterranean and enable a sustainable blue economy strategy, as illustrated inter alia by EU and international initiatives such as: the renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood, WestMed, EUSAIR, Interreg MED, BLUEMED, MedFish4Ever, the UfM’s Blue Economy Working Group, and the Regional Action Plan on marine litter management in the Mediterranean;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 a (new)

-1a. Commends the invaluable contribution of the GFCM towards achieving a fully sustainable management of maritime resources, including through its IUU Plan of Action and its Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea; regrets that not all of the management recommendations adopted by the GFCM are followed through by its member parties;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 b (new)

-1b. Regrets that these numerous initiatives are yet to fully bear fruits, as the environmental prospects for the Mediterranean remain bleak; agrees with the State of Environment and Development in Mediterranean (SoED) 2020 report conclusion that “to avoid projected failures [...] current trajectories must urgently be corrected”;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 c (new)

-1c. Remains in particular extremely concerned about the very slow rate of progress on overfishing in the Mediterranean; furthermore fears that further deteriorations of the maritime environment in the Mediterranean, as projected, would hit coastal and fishing communities the hardest, and hamper the future sustainable development of the entire EU;

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 d (new)

-1d. Recalls that the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector has suffered a series of setbacks in recent years prompted by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine, and remains extremely fragile to this date;

Amendment 39 #

Raffaele STANCANELLI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that the development of the blue economy in the Mediterranean will inevitably increase competition for the use of marine and coastal space and resources; calls for the full deployment of ecosystem- based integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and maritime spatial planning (MSP) as tools to avoid conflicts and situations where fisherman face danger when carrying on their activities owing to the completely arbitrary application of territorial water limits, and therefore to promote harmonious and sustainable development across the Mediterranean;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Citation 3 d (new)

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2014/89 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning,

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Sstresses that the development of the blue economy in the Mediterranean will inevitably increase competition for the use of space and marine and coastal ~~spa~~resources and ~~resources~~calls, in this regard, for the views of all stakeholders in the blue economy to be taken into account; calls for the full deployment of ecosystem- based integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and maritime spatial planning (MSP) as tools to avoid conflicts and promote harmonious sustainable development across the Mediterranean;

Amendment 41 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that the development of the blue economy in the Mediterranean could bring many benefits and opportunities to develop local economies; points out however that the development will inevitably also increase competition for the use of marine and coastal space and resources; calls for the full deployment of ecosystem- based integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and maritime spatial planning (MSP) as tools to avoid conflicts and promote harmonious sustainable development across the Mediterranean;

Amendment 42 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that the development of the blue economy in the Mediterranean will inevitably increase competition for the use of marine and coastal space and resources; calls for the full deployment of ecosystem- based integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and maritime spatial planning (MSP) as tools to avoid conflicts and promote harmonious sustainable development across the Mediterranean, while not forgetting the various socio-economic needs of coastal communities;

Amendment 43 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that the development of the blue economy in the Mediterranean will inevitably increase competition for the use of marine and coastal space and resources; calls for the full deployment of ecosystem- based integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and maritime spatial planning (MSP) as tools to avoid conflicts and promote harmonious sustainable development across the Mediterranean that develops within ecological limits with full respect for the planetary boundaries;

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)

Highlights that Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is key in ensuring participation of all stakeholders to decisions concerning the use and protection of the marine environment; highlights that MSP is a key tool to ensure the participation of small- scale fishers in the decision-making process;

Amendment 45 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Stresses the importance of protecting jobs in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, so that decisions that are overly protective of resources do not have an excessive impact on those working on board or on fishing enterprises;

Amendment 46 #

Rosanna CONTE, Annalisa TARDINO, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Regrets that most EU Member States overlooking the Mediterranean have not adopted Maritime Spatial Plans which are necessary to ensure that marine space is used in a sustainable manner and that all stakeholders are involved in its management; Calls on the Commission to follow up with these Member States in order to ensure a swift adoption of such plans;

Amendment 47 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Points to the rising water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea and the need to adopt measures to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change;

Amendment 48 #

Ladislav ILČIĆ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Notes, in particular, that the blue economy is experiencing an increase in new activities and competition for space, to the detriment of traditional activities such as fisheries and aquaculture;

Amendment 49 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Invites Member States to make full use of Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) to design and implement local development strategies addressing economic, social and environmental needs; Calls on Member States to guarantee that FLAGs involve all stakeholders and that EU funds are spent according to objective criteria in a manner that ensures the sustainable development of local communities;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Citation 3 e (new)

– having regard to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean’s Regional Plan of Action for small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea,

Amendment 50 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that in the current cCommon fFisheries pPolicy (CFP) architecture, and the funding ~~for fisher~~possibilities through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) is mostly decoupled from cohesion policy, although some interlinkages can be developed on an ad hoc basis; notes that the majority of operators in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors are small, which i, depending on Member States implementation, can pose as an obstacle tofor theirm to access~~ing~~ cohesion funds; suggests that efforts should be made to facilitate access for fishers, especially small scale operators to cohesion funds;: notes that, beyond the EMFAF, a number of EU funds are relevant to the blue economy, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds), the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance (IPA), the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – ‘Global Europe’ and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF);

Amendment 51 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that in the current common fisheries policy architecture, funding for fisheries through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) is mostly decoupled from cohesion policy, although some interlinkages can be developed on an ad hoc basis; notes that the majority of operators in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors are small, which is an obstacle to their accessing cohesion funds and, therefore, deems it necessary to facilitate their access, including through greater involvement of the responsible fishers’ associations; notes that, beyond the EMFAF, a number of EU funds are relevant to the blue economy, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds), the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance (IPA), the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – ‘Global Europe’ and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF);

Amendment 52 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that in the current common fisheries policy architecture, funding for fisheries through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) is mostly decoupled from cohesion policy, although some interlinkages can be developed on an ad hoc basis; notes that the majority of operators in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors are small, which is an obstacle to their accessing cohesion funds; notes that, beyond the EMFAF, a number of EU funds are relevant to the blue economy, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds)~~, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – ‘Global Europe’~~ and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF);

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Believes that local management initiatives involving co-management should be considered eligible for EMFAF funding;

Amendment 54 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. 1. Takes the view that the future of small-scale, coastal and artisanal fishing depends on its long-term and sustainable profitability but also on immediate, meaningful and effective measures to enhance the profession’s attractiveness and provide training for young people and to improve operating conditions, especially to facilitate the inclusion of women on board fishing vessels; calls on the Commission, therefore, within the framework of the EMFAF and in close cooperation with Member States’ producer organisations, guilds and managing authorities, to establish and put into effect support mechanisms for small- scale, artisanal and coastal fisheries that make it possible to tackle the specific problems in this part of the sector;

Amendment 55 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Recalls that small-scale fishing, especially in the Mediterranean, is a traditional form of fishing which is part of a lifestyle and provides a significant livelihood which calls for specific measures and support to allow it to grow and develop;

Amendment 56 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Stresses that the EU lacks a tool to understand the extent of EMFF and EMFAF investments in the small-scale fisheries sector, the number of good practices funded, the delivery of concrete results or how fisheries local action groups are working towards effectively implementing the CFP; calls on the Commission to establish such a tool as a fundamental step in understanding how to scale up good practices and replicate commendable fishing methods at EU level;

Amendment 57 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Stresses that significant socioeconomic impact of restrictions on fishing activities undermines the profitability of thousands of companies to the point of endangering their very survival, with a potentially devastating impact on employment and social cohesion in coastal areas;

Amendment 58 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Highlights that the EU fleets in the Mediterranean have suffered drastic cuts (23,5%during the last three years, since the entry into force of the multiannual plan), loss of revenue, as well as rise of costs, because of the Covid pandemic and persisting high fuel prices;

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Criticises, in this regard, the fact that the new EMFAF does not allow for the modernisation of obsolete boats in order to make them more environmentally sustainable;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Citation 3 f (new)

– having regard to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean,

Amendment 60 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)

2d. Recalls that, according to the 2020 GFCM report on the state of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries, the proportion of overfished stocks decreased from 88 % in 2014to 75 % in 2018, reflecting gradually improving results owed to the commitment of fishers across the region;

Amendment 61 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)

2d. Stresses the importance attached to territoriality, and points out that the characteristics and needs of fishing fleets and zones in the Mediterranean vary from one country to another, but also from one region to another within the same State;

Amendment 62 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 e (new)

2e. Believes that small-scale fishers and those in the most vulnerable situations require ad hoc forms of financial assistance and support, in order to help fishers enter new market segments, limit the economic and social gap between north and south and avoid undermining fishing activities and employment in the sector;

Amendment 63 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 e (new)

2e. Stresses that strict conservation measures adopted only by the EU put EU fishers in competitive disadvantage vis-à- vis to non-EU operators in the region, while undermining efforts to rebuild stocks; highlights the role of GFCM in ensuring coordination in adopting and implementing conservation measures in the Mediterranean;

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 f (new)

2f. Highlights that factors exerting pressure on Mediterranean fish stocks and marine biodiversity include human- induced problems such as plastic pollution, fuel dispersion, habitat loss, maritime traffic and climate change and the proliferation of invasive alien species;

Amendment 65 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 g (new)

2g. Calls on the Commission to ensure that every legislative proposal is preceded by a thorough evaluation of the measures already adopted, as well as a wide-ranging impact assessment to quantify its possible socioeconomic and environmental impact on coastal communities and on the productivity and competitiveness of EU fisheries undertakings and the production chain, is supported by the best available scientific advice and proper consultation with the affected fishing sectors and is implemented gradually and in proportion to the sector’s capacity for action;

Amendment 66 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Believes that the governance of the Mediterranean could be improved through better coordination and the setting up of a dedicated operational instrument for the development of an integrated and sustainable blue economy strategy; further notes that, in the context of the governance of the Mediterranean, the Commission needs to step up its dialogue with the North African countries so as to ensure compliance with the policies of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in order to fight illegal fishing practices and market distortion owing to the lack of a level playing field for sector operators, which puts EU fishers at a disadvantage; further calls on the Commission to encourage all third countries in the Mediterranean basin to ratify UNCLOS;

Amendment 67 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Believes that the governance of the Mediterranean could be improved through better coordination and the setting up of a dedicated operational instrument for the development of an integrated and sustainable blue economy strategy; highlights the importance of stakeholder consultation and involvement in this regard, especially organisations representing fishers and coastal communities;

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Believes that the governance of the Mediterranean could be improved through better coordination and the setting up of a dedicated operational instrument for the development of an integrated and sustainable blue economy strategy which, in order to truly optimise the strategy, should also involve fishers as experts in the sea and its dynamics;

Amendment 69 #

Raffaele STANCANELLI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 7 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Citation 4 a (new)

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund,

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Believes that the governance of the Mediterranean could be improved through better coordination between the Member States and neighbouring countries and the setting up of a dedicated operational instrument for the development of an integrated and sustainable blue economy strategy;

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 72 #

Rosanna CONTE, Annalisa TARDINO, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Reiterates its call for the establishment of cooperation networks between the governments of the Member States, fishers’ associations, workers’ organisations, wastewater bodies, coastal stakeholders, ports, NGOs and regional conventions in order to strengthen a bottom-up approach based on dialogue and inclusion and promote practical solutions for workers in the fisheries sector, with a view to ensuring a more effective implementation of the rules and providing adequate resources in areas such as the collection, disposal and recycling of marine litter;

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Points out that illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing remains a threat to the survival of many species; firmly believes that the development of a blue economy can support sustainable and inclusive development and quality jobs;

Amendment 74 #

Ladislav ILČIĆ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Points out that spatial planning is one of the key instruments that lay the foundations for the long-term development of the blue economy, taking into account fisheries and aquaculture in particular;

Amendment 75 #

Raffaele STANCANELLI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; promote compliance with international treaties on territorial waters; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin with greater involvement of fish workers in decision-making processes; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation and commercialisation; implement more effective measures to monitor imported fish products in order to safeguard both public safety and the competitiveness of Europe’s fish sector and the entire related supply chain and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling.

Amendment 76 #

Ladislav ILČIĆ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to increase productivity and improve the standard of living in the fisheries and aquaculture sector; ensure market stability and the availability of food supplies; foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socioeconomic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation and commercialisation; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling.

Amendment 77 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy that develops within planetary boundaries; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries and aquaculture sector; address plastic and industrial pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries ~~with respect to~~to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries, in particular small-scale fisheries, to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin; encourage ~~third~~all Mediterranean countries to implement mari~~tim~~ne protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation, decarbonisation and commercialisation; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling.

Amendment 78 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands, as this is already at risk as a result of rising fuel prices and the ensuing increase in fish imported from outside the EU; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation and commercialisation; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling.

Amendment 79 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands and the most socially vulnerable areas; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation and commercialisation; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling and prevent the financial burden from falling on fishers.

Amendment 8 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Citation 4 b (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 planning,

Amendment 80 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin in order to reach the objectives of the CFP; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation and commercialisation; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling.

Amendment 81 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation, social well-being and economic growth and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands; promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters; provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation and commercialisation; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining and reskilling.

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for the deployment of a macro-regional strategy at the scale of the entire Mediterranean basin, dedicated to climate change mitigation, environmental conservation and the sustainable development of the blue economy; believes that such a strategy could be used more specifically to foster circular economy projects in the fisheries sector; address plastic pollution; protect biodiversity; enhance relations with third countries with respect to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; contribute to solving usage conflicts through adequate maritime spatial planning; preserve the socio- economic contribution of fisheries to the well-being of coastal communities, in particular in islands; ~~promote stock management measures across the Mediterranean basin; encourage third countries to implement maritime protected areas in their territorial waters;~~ provide for the sustainable economic development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, in particular with respect to transformation ~~and~~, commercialisation and reduced dependence on imports from third countries; and support the diversification of fishers’ activities, including retraining, reskilling and gre~~skill~~ater participation of women and young people across the supply chaing.

Amendment 83 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Highlights that easier access to EU funding for small-scale fisheries is key to ensure the resilience of the segment and of the local communities that depend on it; regrets that often funding procedures are complex, especially for small-scale fishers; calls in this respect on Member States to provide technical assistance at the local level to ensure that the fisheries sector, and especially small-scale fisheries, are able to benefit from EU funding in order to transition towards sustainable and low-impact fishing;

Amendment 84 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Takes the view, however, that the Commission should stop promoting management strategies based solely on the reduction of fishing days, as it does in the western Mediterranean with the WestMED initiative, which prevents the local small-scale fishing sector, already brought to its knees by the skyrocketing fuel prices, from reaching the minimum break-even point that ensures its survival.

Amendment 85 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Massimo CASANOVA, Valentino GRANT, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Points out that the Just Transition Fund is supposed to provide subsidies to support coastal communities since they are exposed to the consequences of the transition to climate neutrality;

Amendment 86 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the Commission to demand and monitor the same sustainability standards for imported products too;

Amendment 87 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Stresses that income diversification is crucial to ensure the transition to sustainable management of marine resources as well as the resilience of the fisheries sector, especially small- scale fisheries; calls on Member States to prioritise investments in income diversification projects when implementing the EMFAF and other EU Funds;

Amendment 88 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. 5. Takes the view that for a macro- regional strategy to succeed, third countries need to be actively involved, especially financially, in helping to tackle the Mediterranean basin’s multidimensional environmental problems. It is not the EU’s duty to extend funds to any third country.

Amendment 89 #

Annalisa TARDINO, Rosanna CONTE, Valentino GRANT, Massimo CASANOVA, France JAMET

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Highlights that social security benefits contribute to ensuring the resilience of the sector, especially in the case of small-scale fisheries; Calls on Member States to provide the fisheries sector, especially small-scale fisheries, with social security benefits, such as unemployment and retirement benefits;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Citation 4 c (new)

– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2012 on small-scale coastal fishing, artisanal fishing and the reform of the common fisheries policy,

Amendment 90 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)

4d. Stresses that the protection of marine ecosystems is key to ensure a better environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea; calls on Member States to effectively implement existing legislation and use EU funding, including the EMFAF and EU Structural and Investment Funds, to ensure that all Marine Protected Areas under their jurisdiction are effectively managed and protected, with the involvement of all stakeholders, especially small-scale fisheries; calls on the Commission and the co-legislators to ensure the adoption of an ambitious Nature Restoration Law and on Member States to ensure its effective implementation;

Amendment 91 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 e (new)

4e. Calls on the co-legislator to adopt a coherent approach across policies, in line with the objectives of the Green Deal, to tackle the impact of all pressures on the Mediterranean Sea, including industrial pollution, offshore drilling, nutrients runoff, wastewater pollution and waste and plastic pollution;

Amendment 92 #