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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.
EVENT

Up to 10 million Europeans go fishing recreationally at sea every year, generating an annual total economic impact of 10.5 billion euro and supporting 100,000 jobs in Europe. Angling provides many social and health benefits and income diversification for Europe’s coastal and remote communities. As a selective fishing activity, it can contribute to achieve the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).   
 
Despite all of this, the CFP regulation only refers once to recreational fisheries and does not consider it as a distinct sector, alongside aquaculture and commercial fisheries. At the same time however, the sector has been increasingly regulated through various EU policy instruments with a patchwork approach. In 2018, the European Parliament thus
called on the European Commission to “evaluate the role of recreational fisheries in the future CFP.” This Forum event will offer an opportunity to discuss the benefits of making the marine recreational fisheries a distinct sector in the CFP (such as the untapped potential for the blue economy and the improvement of data collection, management and control) as well as addressing potential concerns, obstacles and implications of the full recognition of the sector.  

More information and registration
Sea bass: 2022 bag limit for anglers

Last December, the European Union and the United Kingdom concluded their negotiations on the 65 shared stocks, including on an iconic species for recreational fishers: seabass.
It was decided to disappointingly simply roll-over the arrangements already in place in 2021 for recreational fishermen, while introducing minor relaxations for commercial fisheries. In practice, this means: 

  • In the Southern Atlantic waters (ICES divisions 8a and 8b), a daily bag limit of two fish per angler still applies.  
  • In the Northern Atlantic waters (ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a and 7a to 7k), the daily bag limit will apply from March until November with a minimum size of 42 cm. In January, February and December, only catch-and-release will be allowed. 
Read more
EFTTEX 2022: the European tackle industry fair is back!  

New dates and the location for EFTTEX 2022 have been announced:  it will take place between 14 and 16 September at the HungExpo Congress & Exhibition center in Budapest (Hungary). 

EFTTEX was initiated by the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) for the first time in 1982. This has developed over the years to become the premier trade show for the industry. EFTTEX attracts some of the most well-known names in the industry and is also a place to meet new and emerging companies within the trade. While the largest European tackle trade show had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 in line with the measures taken to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, angling has seen a new momentum across Europe during the lockdowns, which continues even today. 

When announcing the new dates, Olivier Portrat, EFTTA/EFTTEX CEO, also uncovered a number of new elements that will feature in the next edition: Social media will play a big role in expanding the trade’s reach in Europe and beyond. A street fishing competition along the Danube will also be organised while a genuine Angling Summit is being prepared in parallel with EFTTEX.” 

Visit the EFTTEX website 

 
How to protect our seas and rivers: Commission publishes guidance on protected areas and barrier removal

The Commission recently published two guidance documents to help reach the objectives set in the Biodiversity Strategy:  

- The Guidance on Barrier Removal for River Restoration provides methods to select and prioritise barriers, thus improving the conditions for fish migration in European rivers. To avoid creating new barriers, check also why it is important to properly revise the Renewable Energy Directive.

- The Criteria for protected areas designations provides guidance as to where such areas should be created and which activities should be allowed in protected and strictly protected areas. On  case-by-case basis, well-managed recreational angling could continue to take place in some strictly protected areas.

Read more

New MEDAC advice on recreational fisheries: the EAA welcomes valuable elements 

The Mediterranean Advisory Council (MEDAC) adopted an advice on minimum rules for sustainable recreational fishing activities. This advice was delivered in the context of the EU’s proposal for a recommendation of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) on recreational fisheries. The European Anglers Alliance has contributed to the development of this advice. 

The advice touches upon important elements concerning the socio-economic relevance of the sector, the participation of recreational fishers in fisheries governance, the distinction between diverse segments and control aspects. 

Click here to read the MEDAC Advice on the EU proposal for a GFCM recommendation on recreational fisheries.

Read more

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Copyright © 2020 RecFishing Forum, All rights reserved.

The Forum Secretariat is provided by two EU associations:
 

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

Contact us:
Tél:   +32 (0) 2 720 0073
Email: julie
@eaa-europe.eu

Twitter: @RecFishingEP







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