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In this edition:

What is the Recfishing forum?
The Forum on Recreational Fisheries and Aquatic Environment has been established to help the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) understand what can be complex issues affecting some 25 million European angling constituents. The European Parliament deals with important legislation which has a direct impact on fish stocks and the aquatic environment.
Strong and wide support to include
recreational fisheries in the CFP

On 23 March, the RecFishing Forum hosted a webinar on the inclusion of marine recreational fisheries in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), co-chaired by MEP Pierre Karleskind and MEP Niclas Herbst. Panellists and participants discussed the need to include recreational fisheries as a separate sector under the CFP.  

Opening the roundtable, Olivier Portrat (EFTTA) recalled the substantial social and economic impacts of the sector, which supports 100,000 jobs and generates €10.5 billion every year. 

David Vertegaal, EAA spokesperson for the CFP, then gave a presentation to explain the recreational fisheries sector’s key demand: “We call for the full inclusion of marine recreational fisheries in the CFP, so that a level playing field can emerge for the millions of Europeans who enjoy the sustainable use of fish as a public resource.” This key demand was supported by the commercial fisheries’ representative Esben Sverdrup-Jensen (EAPO), who argued in favour of the sector’s inclusion and insisted on the need to clearly define the sector’s different segments.

From an academic perspective, Dr. Harry Strehlow (Thünen Institute) called for a genuine acknowledgment and management of the sector, by setting relevant management goals and providing an explicit allocation framework for fishing opportunities. 

Click here to find more about the event (agenda, panellists’ presentation, press release).

Read the event report

A month before the event, the Baltic Sea Advisory Council (BSAC) adopted its White Paper on the CFP. Built on the consensus reached between all stakeholders (commercial and recreational fisheries and NGOs), the White Paper delivered a clear message to the Commission: 

  • The BSAC agrees that recreational fishing should be part of the CFP; 
  • The recreational fishing sector shall be clearly defined within the CFP; and 
  • EMFAF funding should be made available for certain aspects of recreational fishing. 

More about the BSAC White Paper 

Lack of concrete measures to protect fish stocks in the new Danish cormorant management plan
 


On 1 March 2022, the Danish Minister for the Environment Lea Wermelin signed a new cormorant management plan. This new plan lacks ambitious goals and concrete measures to secure fish stocks according to the Danish Sport Fishermen Association (Danmarks Sportfiskerforbund), the European Anglers Alliance’s Danish member.  

The Danish Sport Fishermen Association and the Danish Salmon Fund have proposed an alternative management plan which sets clear targets and proposes a set of indicators which could trigger the derogations foreseen under the Article 9 of the Birds Directive to prevent “serious damage to fisheries and water”.  

Witnessing the damages caused on fish stocks, in particular some vulnerable fish species, by the ever-growing cormorant colonies across Europe, the EAA’s key messages are the following:

  • The Birds Directive is not only about bird protection but also about control and management; 
  • Fish stocks also need protection; 
  • Member States must properly implement the Birds Directive and make appropriate use of the derogations to protect flora, fauna and fisheries against damage made by cormorants; and  
  • EAA urges the introduction of cormorant management plans, a minima at the regional level starting with the Nordic/Baltic region.  

Read more here about the Danish cormorant management plan  

Read the EAA position paper on cormorant management  

 
Picture © Lars Mejlby

The Swedish Anglers’ association buys a hydropower plant to demolish it

Swedish anglers have taken their commitment to restore river connectivity to a whole new level. Sportfiskarna, member of the European Anglers Alliance, bought a hydropower plant and plans to decommission it.  

The demolition of the plant is expected to take place in 2024 and is financed by Sportfiskarna and the Hydroelectric Environmental Fund (Vattenkraftens Miljöfond). By decommissioning the plant and removing another barrier on the river, sea trout, eel and lamprey will be able to migrate further up the river. This will contribute to restoring biodiversity in the area, to the delight of landowners upstream, anglers and the ecosystem as a whole.  

Since the 1970’s, there has been a 90% collapse of migratory fish species in Europe. Hydropower installations are identified as one of the key pressures on Europe’s freshwater decreasing biodiversity.  

EAA position paper on hydropower  

Picture © Svante Harström

Read more
Open letter to the European Parliament:
severe threats to the Doñana National Park

Despite a ruling by the EU Court of Justice against Spain over its failure to fulfill its obligations under the Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive in the Doñana National Park, the situation in this UNESCO World Heritage Site is still dramatic, with many illegal wells and farms contributing to the unsustainable use of water. 

The situation could deteriorate even further, as a legislative proposal is on the table to allow the illegal farms to legally exploit water in the buffer zone around the park, meaning that it would increase the pressures on water use and threaten local fish populations.  

The European Anglers Alliance and the Living Rivers Europe coalition sent an open letter calling on the European Parliament to “denounce the severe attack on this unique wetland which might constitute a negative precedent for the implementation of the EU environmental acquis.”

Read more
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EAA, the European Anglers Alliance        
EFTTA, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association

Contact us:
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Email: julie
@eaa-europe.eu

Twitter: @RecFishingEP







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