Changes from plenary report to adopted text

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 21 February 2023 entitled ‘EU Action Plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries’ (COM(2023)0102) (the ‘action plan’),

– having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 12 July 2023 on the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the EU action plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and, in particular, Article 39 thereof on ensuring a fair standard of living for the agricultural and fishing communities, and Article 5 thereof on the principle of proportionality,

– having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution entitled ‘Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York on 25 September 2015, and in particular to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encourages the conservation and sustainable exploitation of the oceans, seas and marine resources,

– having regard to the Paris Agreement of 12 December 2015 and, in particular, Article 2(1)(b) thereof on adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change in a manner that does not threaten food production,

– having regard to the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction of 19 June 2023 (UN High Seas Treaty) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC,

– having regard to Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy,

– having regard to Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive),

– having regard to Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning (Maritime Spatial Planning Directive),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/2336 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 establishing specific conditions for fishing for deep-sea stocks in the north-east Atlantic and provisions for fishing in international waters of the north-east Atlantic and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 2347/2002,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 of 18 September 2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel (Eel Regulation),

– having regard to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 of 15 September 2022 determining the existing deep-sea fishing areas and establishing a list of areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known to occur or are likely to occur,

– having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2021 on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives,

– having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 entitled ‘More fish in the seas? Measures to promote stock recovery above the maximum sustainable yield (MSY), including fish recovery areas and marine protected areas’,

– having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2022 entitled ‘Toward a sustainable blue economy in the EU: the role of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors’,

– having regard to its resolution of 7 June 2022 on the implementation of Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation,

– having regard to its resolution of 6 October 2022 on momentum for the ocean: strengthening ocean governance and biodiversity,

– having regard to its resolution of 9 May 2023 on co-management of fisheries in the EU and the contribution of the fisheries sector for the implementation of management measures,

– having regard to its resolution of 21 November 2023 on the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel,

– having regard to the Presidency Conclusions of 26 June 2023 on the Fisheries policy package for a sustainable, resilient and competitive fisheries and aquaculture sector,

– having regard to the 2023 State of the Union address of 13 September 2023 by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the European Parliament plenary,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 10 October 2007 entitled ‘An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union’ (COM(2007)0575),

– having regard to the Commission’s 2018 Guidance on Aquaculture and Natura 2000;

– having regard to the Commission report of 23 September 2021 entitled ‘Implementation of the Technical Measures Regulation (Article 31 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241)’ (COM(2021)0583),

– having regard to the 2022 Commission staff working document of 28 January 2022 entitled ‘Criteria and guidance for protected areas designations’ (SWD(2022)0023),

– having regard to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report of 4 May 2019 entitled ‘The global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services’,

– having regard to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea report of 24 June 2021 entitled ‘EU request on how management scenarios to reduce mobile bottom fishing disturbance on seafloor habitats affect fisheries landing and value’,

– having regard to the Aquaculture Advisory Council recommendation of June 2023 entitled ‘Impact of the Action Plan’s Bottom Trawling Ban on Shellfish Farming’, as well as to the Commission’s reply of 1 August 2023 entitled ‘Answer to the Aquaculture Advisory Council’s Recommendation “Impact of the Action Plan’s Bottom Trawling Ban on Shellfish Farming”’, as well as to its letter of 3 April 2023 to MEPs David McAllister, Jens Gieseke and Niclas Herbst on Krabbenfisherei (crab fisheries),

– having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A9-0437/2023),

A. whereas protecting the ocean should be guided by the principle of the common heritage of humankind; whereas there is an urgent need to step up action at global and EU level to reverse the real, existing and scientifically described declines of marine ecosystems by tackling all conceivable human and natural pressures within our capabilities, supporting the positive recovery of fish stocks, species and their habitats and encouraging scientific studies, research and development, as well as supporting fisheries and techniques that ensure sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, with the full involvement of operators, local authority representatives, civil society and coastal communities, which provide an essential contribution to this global objective;

B. whereas there are currently numerous legislative texts, communications, strategies and regulations related to the protection of the environment and fisheries management, in particular on the restoration of nature;

C. whereas the EU has committed to deliver on the UN 2030 Agenda, including SDG 14, as well as on its obligations under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

D. whereas all EU policies relating to both the external and external dimensions of the sustainable blue economy are managed through a siloed governance structure, which results in a lack of synergies and leads to conflicts among sustainable blue economic stakeholders; whereas the Commission should apply an ecosystem-based approach in all EU policies relating to the blue economy, as part of an overarching legal framework, in order to achieve the specific policy goals and ensure that they are managed through an integrated and consistent approach that promotes synergies between all marine-related activities;

E. whereas at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting of 20 March 2023, the Member States voiced various positions, including criticisms, towards the action plan; whereas this scrutiny was carried out by national parliaments in eight Member States;

F. whereas the action plan must be aligned with the objectives of the common fisheries policy (CFP), which seeks to guarantee the proper conservation and management of marine biological resources and seeks to ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities, which have proven to be strategic during recent crises, are environmentally sustainable in the long term and are managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits, and of contributing to the availability of food supplies;

G. whereas ongoing legal proceedings were initiated by the Kingdom of Spain on of 14 November 2022 and Galician fishers and producers’ organisations on 13 December 2022 at the Court of Justice of the European Union in relation to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614, which sets out 87 areas in the EU waters of the north-east Atlantic where all bottom fishing gear is prohibited, representing a total area of 16 419 km2 and 17 % of the area between 400 and 800 metres deep where bottom fishing gear is not allowed; whereas this Implementing Regulation was adopted without a prior socioeconomic impact assessment and its implementation will lead to a severe socioeconomic impact on the fishing fleets concerned;

H. whereas marine biodiversity must be protected and restored in cooperation with all stakeholders, in particular with the fisheries sector and the scientific community;

I. whereas, according to Commission data, in 2009, there were only five sustainably fished fish stocks in the EU, but by 2022, this number had grown to more than 60 and the situation continues to improve; whereas despite good progress being made in 2022 towards achieving the objectives set under the CFP, more progress is needed in EU marine ecosystems, in particular in the Mediterranean and Black Seas;

J. whereas the future of food security will also depend on our capacity to tackle nature loss and the growing impacts of climate change;

K. whereas the management of ecosystems requires a holistic approach that takes into account all the causes of biodiversity loss, such as overfishing, climate change, ocean acidification, the appearance of alien species, coastal erosion or loss of marine biodiversity, including through actions enabling that properly managed marine protected areas (MPAs), other effective area-based conservation measures and activities, such as shellfish farming are beneficial to fisheries and ecosystems alike;

Protection of the environment and sustainability

1. Praises the efforts made by the EU fisheries sector and the progress achieved in making fisheries even more sustainable and contributing to the protection and sustainable use of marine ecosystems; considers that, despite these efforts and progress, the ocean is affected by several other factors such as overfishing, climate change, acidification, invasive alien species and different sources of pollution, in particular from land-based activities and transport, which are to some extent beyond the control of fishers and pose significant threats to fishers’ livelihoods and marine ecosystems;

3. Believes, like all stakeholders involved in fisheries and environmental policies, that healthy marine ecosystems benefit our health, society and economy, and are essential for the whole planet, and particularly the populations that rely on them;

4. Recalls the vital importance of the ocean as a pillar of the climate and food systems, as it covers 71 % of the earth’s surface, produces half of our oxygen and absorbs a third of CO2 emissions; emphasises the need to develop policy and financing approaches for ocean conservation and sustainable use; calls for the global preservation of ocean-based livelihoods and ocean biodiversity; stresses the ocean’s critical role, in particular in carbon sequestration, renewable energy development, job creation, poverty reduction, goods transportation and internet communications; warns of the interdependence between fisheries and food security, as 3.3 billion people depend on food from the sea to obtain at least 20 % of their animal protein intake;

5. Notes that coastal communities have been harvesting food from Europe’s seas for many generations; considers that the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and these coastal communities contribute to sustainable food security in the scope of the blue economy; believes that the sustainable use and management of marine resources should be seen as contributing to marine ecosystems, not detracting from them;

Consistent approach with existing regulations

6. Considers that the Commission’s action plan lacks a coherent approach with other priorities and strategies, such as ensuring food security and the strategic autonomy of the EU; highlights that, in addition, the action plan should be managed through an integrated, consistent and ecosystem-based approach that promotes synergies between all maritime activities in order to avoid conflicts and foster cooperation, in particular as regards marine energy infrastructure, and that it should ensure a level playing field with non-EU countries; is of the opinion that considerations such as rising prices, enhancing the social dimension of the CFP and strengthening economic growth and employment have not sufficiently been considered in the action plan;