In Bruges today, Commissioner Sinkevicius announced a full evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy will be undertaken
European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius has announced a full evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Speaking this afternoon at press conference today from the EU fisheries minister meeting in Bruge, Commissioner Sinkevivius said that today was a good time to look at the future of our fisheries. The meeting looked back over the five-years mandate of the Commission and the Parliament. He said it was a challenging mandate starting with Brexit which changed the arrangement of the Union’s fisheries, the COVID-19 pandemic which put “enormous pressure on our fishers” says the Commissioner, and finally Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which made marine diesel prices extremely expensive which eroded the profits of fishing boats.
He said they were truly challenging years, where the EU managed to act on time to help fishermen use the available funds, but he says we still need to look into the future ensuring that our fishermen will be even more resilient to future shocks, ensuring that there is a transition to more sustainable fuels that will allow having health fisheries but ensuring sustainability in our oceans.
He comended the effort of both the fishing and aquaculture sector in helping imporve the marine environment. He said:
“But nothing would have been achieved without our fishers & aquaculture farmers.
“I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their commendable efforts.”
The Commissioner said that he recognised that his role was coming to an end as the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, and that in the period that is left, he says that he wants his successor to have the best possible grounding to start from. He said:
“We have achieved important work for our fisheries sector in turbulent times during this mandate. Now, I have asked my services to undertake a full evaluation of our Common Fisheries Policies Regulation, to shape a thriving future based on best-informed decisions.”