Producer Organisations Respond To Review Of Marine Directive
The European Association of Fish Producers Organisations has urged the European Commission to ensure that the revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive reflects both environmental objectives and the socio-economic realities of the fishing sector.
In its response to the Commission’s call for evidence on the future of EU marine environmental protection rules, the organisation stated it supports the directive’s core aim of achieving a “clean, healthy and productive ocean” through an ecosystem-based approach.
However, it argues that the ongoing review of the directive must lead to a more balanced and practical framework that properly considers the economic and operational impacts on the fishing indusattempt.
The organisation represents producer organisations across the European fishing sector and stated the revision offers an opportunity to correct shortcomings that have become apparent since the directive was introduced in 2008.
Concerns Over Overlapping EU Environmental Policies
A central concern raised by the association relates to what it describes as the growing complexity of EU marine governance.
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive interacts with a wide range of other environmental and fisheries policies, including the Birds and Habitats Directives, Natura 2000, the Water Framework Directive, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Common Fisheries Policy and the Marine Spatial Planning Directive.
According to the organisation, the interaction between these frameworks often creates overlapping objectives and inconsistent policy requirements.
The association argues that this lack of coherence can create the regulatory landscape difficult for the fishing sector to navigate and may hinder effective implementation at the level of individual fisheries.
It declares the revision of the directive should focus on aligning environmental legislation more closely with the Common Fisheries Policy and other emerging initiatives such as the proposed European Ocean Pact.
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