ZAGREB, January 16, 2018 – The European Parliament on Tuesday voted on new rules to limit harmful fishing and adopted an amendment by Croatian member Ruza Tomasic rescinding a restriction of the use of purse seines which was unfavourable for Croatian fishermen due to the configuration of the Adriatic seabed.
The EP voted on amendments aimed at simplifying existing rules and improving technical measures towards a bigger contribution to European Union Common Fisheries Policy goals, which should make sure that fisheries and other sea industries are ecologically, economically and socially sustainable and that they provided European citizens with healthy food.
During the vote on existing technical measures in fisheries, the EP adopted Tomasic’s amendment to strike a Mediterranean Regulation provision which prevented the use of purse seines at depths less than 70% of their height, which did not suit Croatian fishermen and nearly stopped such fishing since Croatia’s accession to the EU in 2013.
According to her office, Tomasic said purse seines were used to fish in coastal waters where depth varied significantly due to sea currents and the configuration of the seabed. She said her amendment now needed to be approved by the Commission and the Council and that she would do her best so that it resulted in a compromise that would lead to the amendment of the Mediterranean Regulation.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella said during today’s debate that allowing purse seines in Croatia went against the 2006 Mediterranean Regulation and that it undermined the preservation of fish stocks in the Adriatic Sea.
