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).
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