A 110-year-old German seafood industry group has issued a statement backing efforts to revamp the E.U.’s common fisheries policy (CFP).
The Federal Association of the German Fish Industry and Fish Wholesale spoke in favor of efforts by E.U. leaders to update the CFP. The association joins a number of industry and environmental protection groups, who say the CFP is outdated and in desperate need of an update based on modern scientific data and projections.
Among the proposed new CFP provisions gaining the highest praise are a proposed banning of at-sea discards and provisions allowing the rules to be enforced at the local level. Making sure the new rules are pragmatic and enforceable is critical, according to Dr. Peter Dill, the association’s chairman.
"The success of this reform will depend on the practical implementation of the agreed provisions and their effective control," Dill said.
The association’s managing director, Dr. Matthias Keller, also noted that a uniform approach to getting the word out on the new CFP will be important, and the association is willing to help.
"We have done our homework regarding the marking of fishing areas and are willing to bring our experience into the further discussions," Keller said.
