Subject: Support for Asturian fishing vessel owners
Since 2010, the majority of Asturian fishing vessel owners (longline and gillnet fleets) have been operating without biological recovery periods being called that would enable them to obtain compensation in the event of cuts to their allocated fishing quotas, as has occurred this season.
The Asturian shipowners affected operate with around 32 vessels and crews of five or eight people. They have lost 13% of their quota for 2018, bringing their total loss over the past three years to 60%.
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) shapes the budget for the EU's maritime and fisheries policies for 2014-2020. Under Regulation (EU) No 508/2014, it aims to support coastal communities in diversifying their economies, finance projects to create jobs, facilitate access to financing and improve quality of life.
Asturian shipowners are not being offered any solution by the government, which is ignoring their requests and in many cases preventing the implementation of mechanisms introduced by Europe with the aim of making vessels profitable and sustainable.
Is the Commission considering the possibility of urging the competent government to trigger the existing public aid mechanism in order to improve the current situation for Asturian fishing vessel owners?
Answer given by Mr Vella on behalf of the Commission
(17 April 2018)
Total allowable catches (TACs) are proposed based on the best available scientific advice and knowledge of the fishery, with a view to managing the relevant stocks sustainably and on a long term basis. The Commission proposes the TACs, which are then decided by the Council of the European Union.
The first priority of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) (1), which is a shared management fund, is the sustainable development of fisheries. In order to implement the EMFF, each Member State drew up an operational programme, which was approved by the Commission.
In its operational programme Spain has included measures for the sustainable development of fisheries such as advisory services; promotion of human capital, job creation and social dialogue; aid to temporary cessation of activities; support for the systems of allocation of fishing opportunities; or support for the design and implementation of conservation measures and regional cooperaration (Art.27, 29, 33, 36 and 37 of EMFF Regulation), among others.
Under shared management, it is thus up to the national managing authorities and relevant intermediate bodies to establish the selection criteria and to adjudicate, which projects will be funded. Only the national authorities are therefore in a position to assess whether the situation described by the Honourable Member falls within the established eligibility rules (2) .
⋅1∙ Regulation (EU) Nº 508/2014 of the Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
⋅2∙ More information on the Spanish operational programme can be found under http://www.mapama.gob.es/es/pesca/temas/fondos-europeos/femp/