Common Fisheries Policy
Fish do not move according to borders. Therefore, most fisheries in the Baltic Sea and the rest of Europe are regulated according to the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Tools used by the CFP include measures such as fishing quotas and mechanisms to ensure fishermen follow the law. The purpose of the CFP is to make certain fisheries are financially and environmentally sustainable. Unfortunately, the CFP has not met its goal – overexploitation of the Baltic Sea and other fishing grounds continues to occur.
The EU is currently revising the existing CFP from 2003. For years Oceana has been working towards reforming the CFP to truly ensure long term sustainability of marine resources. Our experts maintain regular contact with representatives of the EU to advocate for improvement to the CPR\s subsections, including: the system of Total Allowable Catches, the elimination of discards and by-catch and an end to harmful fisheries subsidies.
The new CFP will be completed and implemented in 2013. In July 2011 the European Commission released a draft of the news proposal.
Read Oceanas comments to the draft proposal and tell us what you think about it on our blog
Read our press releases about the CFP English Danish German Polish
