Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Added72. Points out that fishers may experience losses in catches and income when taking part in pilot projects; emphasises that the application of EMFAF rules to pilot projects is restricting some experimentation in practice; calls on the Commission, the Member States and regional authorities to develop the use of ‘living labs’ to reconcile innovation with local initiatives to allow for practical testing in order to ensure that new innovations work in practice and do not impose unnecessary burdens on the sector;

Removed23. Calls on the Commission to provide clear guidance and targeted technical support to the Member States to simplify and streamline licencing procedures for aquaculture;

Added73. Calls for the development of a common EU labelling and traceability framework that enables consumers and buyers to identify fishery products that comply with high environmental, sanitary and social standards;

Removed24. Stresses the need for a balanced and coherent maritime spatial planning approach that safeguards access to nutrient-rich coastal areas for essential food-producing activities, such as fishing and aquaculture;

Added74. Underlines that the success of the ecological and digital transitions in the fisheries sector, including its decarbonisation and energy transition, depends on the availability of skilled and well-trained workers; calls for the improved use of existing EU programmes, such as Erasmus+, the European Social Fund Plus and the EMFAF, to support both formal and informal training in occupational safety, digital tools, environmental awareness and sustainable fishing techniques; highlights the importance of recognising and financing the vocational training required to implement and use new technologies and engines, and the practical skills acquired through experience and facilitating the intergenerational transmission of knowledge; stresses that training should be continuous, inclusive and tailored to the evolving needs of fishers and coastal communities, particularly in remote and structurally disadvantaged areas;

Removed25. Reiterates the need to ensure a level playing field by reducing regulatory burdens and addressing unfair competition from imports produced under lower environmental standards;

Added75. Stresses the potential of the aquaculture, shellfish and algae farming sectors to lower the carbon footprint of our food system; welcomes increasingly frequent low-carbon practises, such as sustainable feed and the use of decarbonised barges, and calls, therefore, for such technologies to be developed on a larger scale on farms where this is appropriate; underlines that future developments should prioritise sustainable aquaculture producers who avoid causing harm to marine biodiversity while generating socio-economic benefits for coastal communities;

Removed26. Calls on the Commission to adopt a comprehensive and ambitious plan for aquaculture development, including the establishment of clear growth targets to provide strategic direction;

Added76. Is of the opinion that the establishment of a common aquaculture policy on the same footing as the CFP, with the adoption of quantified targets for the development of aquaculture, can adequately contribute to a well-considered decarbonation and energy transition process for the EU blue economy;

Added77. Highlights the importance of a clear and coherent legal framework with measurable sustainability criteria and indicators to guide and track the development of aquaculture in the EU, including better maritime spatial planning; calls, therefore, for increased investment and policies to support sustainable marine and inland aquaculture, shellfish and algae farming as an integral part of the European strategy for a low-emission blue economy and to enhance the resilience of aquaculture to climate change impacts;

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78. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.