'EU must safeguard traditional fishing communities' - Sant

Labour MEP Alfred Sant called on the EU to safeguard the livelihood of traditional fishing communities, particularly those in peripheral regions and small-scale family businesses.

Sant made the statement in Strasbourg ahead of his vote in favour of the ‘Multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean’.

Sant said this proposal provides another opportunity to signal that beyond participating in international conservation efforts of fish stocks, and implementing agreed rules, the European Union has another duty: protecting traditional fishing communities, especially in isolated or peripheral regions.

Sant remarked that applying to small fishing activities, the logic used to regulate corporations is wrong. Such a logic makes traditional fisheries appear not to be viable, when they are. Speaking from the experience of Malta, Sant said, this has needlessly disrupted the work of fishing communities and weakened the social fabric that kept them cohesive.

During recent years, the traditional fishing community in Maltese islands has been decimated. Quotas, new licenses and rules were applied on its operations according to Union directives.

Sant said that aquaculture as a source of additional fish supplies is welcome. But economically and socially, it offers no compensation for the loss of traditional fishing. A new effort is needed to create a better framework for the operations of small scale, traditional fishermen. ‘I would urge that this be given priority, before further losses of manpower and resources are experienced in the sector,’ emphasised Sant.

The Report aims at transposing into Union law measures of the multiannual Bluefin Tuna (BFT) recovery plan in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) at its annual meetings between 2012 and 2014.

The current Bluefin tuna fishing quota system penalises small-scale fishermen. Large vessel owners are too dominant and harm the fishing sustainability. The S&D Group tabled the amendment on quota allocation for small scale fishermen for the plenary vote and Sant voted in favour of it.