Welcome   Sponsored By
Subscribe | Register | Advertise | Newsletter | About us | Contact us
   


Photo: Decarbonise Now

Commission Must Deliver EU Fisheries Energy Transition Roadmap Before Year End

EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, October 04, 2024, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

EU Fisheries decarbonisation at risk: European Commission must act now says Ocean Campaigns 'Decarbonise Now' in a Press Release.

The European Commission is facing pressure to deliver a roadmap for the energy transition of the EU fisheries sector by the end of 2024, as promised in February 2023. This plan is critical to achieving the goal of climate neutrality in fisheries by 2050. During Brussels Ocean Week, various stakeholders, including scientists, NGOs, and artisanal fishers, called on the Commission to act swiftly. The roadmap would outline steps to decarbonize the fisheries sector, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and protect marine biodiversity.

Photo: WWF/FIS

Delays have occurred due to the Commission's decision to establish a support group for the Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), which has slowed the roadmap's development. Despite the urgency, the roadmap may not be released until 2025, hindering progress towards the EU’s climate targets. The lack of action has sparked concern from environmental groups, who argue that continuing harmful practices like bottom trawling—responsible for significant marine damage and energy consumption—must be phased out. This is vital for preserving biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions from the sector, which currently emits 7.3 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

A report by ClientEarth shows that EU countries have yet to reach capacity limits in fishing power, meaning they can transition to hybrid or fully decarbonized methods without exceeding current limits. However, discussions around the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD) suggest that fossil fuel tax exemptions for the fisheries sector may be extended by 20 years, countering decarbonization efforts. Such tax subsidies, currently amounting to €700 million to €1.3 billion per year, disproportionately benefit large, industrial fleets that are responsible for most of the environmental impact.

Former Member of the European Parliament Caroline Roose emphasized that delivering the roadmap by the end of 2024 is essential for meeting the EU’s long-term climate goals. Transitioning fisheries away from fossil fuels is not only critical for environmental sustainability but also for economic stability, especially for artisanal fishers who are currently disadvantaged in terms of resources and quotas. The Commission’s delay risks further entrenching high-emission fishing practices and undermining the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Key stakeholders at the Brussels event, such as Professor Didier Gascuel, stressed the importance of promoting low-impact, energy-efficient fishing methods to ensure the fisheries sector becomes resilient and environmentally sustainable. Proposals include reallocating fishing quotas and subsidies to favor sustainable practices, which would not only protect marine ecosystems but also support the livelihoods of low-impact, artisanal fishers.

Despite the Commission’s commitments, ongoing discussions around the Energy Taxation Directive could maintain the status quo by keeping tax breaks for fossil fuels. Environmental groups are pushing for an end to these exemptions to accelerate the shift toward low-emission, sustainable fisheries practices.

In conclusion, timely action by the European Commission is crucial for ensuring the EU fisheries sector transitions to a sustainable, decarbonized future. This would help protect marine biodiversity, ensure economic stability for fishers, and align with the EU's broader climate goals.

[email protected]
www.seafood.media


 Print


Click to know how to advertise in FIS
MORE NEWS



Lenguaje
FEATURED EVENTS
  
TOP STORIES
Remote Electronic Monitoring on bluefin tuna processing vessels
European Union Since 2022,the European Union has been funding a Pilot Project for the use of remote electronic monitoring systems on processing vessels for bluefin tuna. This pilot project complements revised fishe...
Opinion: Chinese illegal fishing. The idiocy has no borders
Argentina Idiot (from the Greek ἰδιώτης idiṓtēs) is a citizen who remains out of public life, a person who is not a scholar or participates in matters and interests of the community. T...
$64m agreement signed during Pakistan-China B2B Investment Meeting on Fisheries
Pakistan The first Pakistan-China B2B Investment Meeting on Fisheries was organized in Qingdao, Shandong province. The event, sponsored by TDAP, was the first in a series of sector-specific meetings to foster...
Tuna Industry and Fishermen Face Challenges as Year-End Approaches
Viet Nam As year-end approaches, Vietnamese tuna processing and export businesses are struggling to secure pure-origin raw materials necessary to meet new year orders and benefit from preferential tariff q...
 

Maruha Nichiro Corporation
Nichirei Corporation - Headquarters
Pesquera El Golfo S.A.
Ventisqueros - Productos del Mar Ventisqueros S.A
Wärtsilä Corporation - Wartsila Group Headquarters
ITOCHU Corporation - Headquarters
BAADER - Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH+Co.KG (Head Office)
Inmarsat plc - Global Headquarters
Marks & Spencer
Tesco PLC (Supermarket) - Headquarters
Sea Harvest Corporation (PTY) Ltd. - Group Headquarters
I&J - Irvin & Johnson Holding Company (Pty) Ltd.
AquaChile S.A. - Group Headquarters
Pesquera San Jose S.A.
Nutreco N.V. - Head Office
CNFC China National Fisheries Corporation - Group Headquarters
W. van der Zwan & Zn. B.V.
SMMI - Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., Ltd. - Headquarters
Icicle Seafoods, Inc
Starkist Seafood Co. - Headquearters
Trident Seafoods Corp.
American Seafoods Group LLC - Head Office
Marel - Group Headquarters
SalMar ASA - Group Headquarters
Sajo Industries Co., Ltd
Hansung Enterprise Co.,Ltd.
BIM - Irish Sea Fisheries Board (An Bord Iascaigh Mhara)
CEFAS - Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science
COPEINCA ASA - Corporacion Pesquera Inca S.A.C.
Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd.
VASEP - Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers
Gomes da Costa
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
NISSUI - Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. - Group Headquarters
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization - Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (Headquarter)
Hagoromo Foods Co., Ltd.
Koden Electronics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
A.P. Møller - Maersk A/S - Headquarters
BVQI - Bureau Veritas Quality International (Head Office)
UPS - United Parcel Service, Inc. - Headquarters
Brim ehf (formerly HB Grandi Ltd) - Headquarters
Hamburg Süd Group - (Headquearters)
Armadora Pereira S.A. - Grupo Pereira Headquarters
Costa Meeresspezialitäten GmbH & Co. KG
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Headquarters)
Mowi ASA (formerly Marine Harvest ASA) - Headquarters
Marubeni Europe Plc -UK-
Findus Ltd
Icom Inc. (Headquarter)
WWF Centroamerica
Oceana Group Limited
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. - Headquarters
Friosur S.A. - Headquarters
Cargill, Incorporated - Global Headquarters
Benihana Inc.
Leardini Pescados Ltda
CJ Corporation  - Group Headquarters
Greenpeace International - The Netherlands | Headquarters
David Suzuki Foundation
Fisheries and Oceans Canada -Communications Branch-
Mitsui & Co.,Ltd - Headquarters
NOREBO Group (former Ocean Trawlers Group)
Natori Co., Ltd.
Carrefour Supermarket - Headquarters
FedEx Corporation - Headquarters
Cooke Inc. - Group Headquarters
AKBM - Aker BioMarine ASA
Seafood Choices Alliance -Headquarter-
Austevoll Seafood ASA
Walmart | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Supermarket) - Headquarters
New Japan Radio Co.Ltd (JRC) -Head Office-
Gulfstream JSC
Marine Stewardship Council - MSC Worldwide Headquarters
Royal Dutch Shell plc (Headquarter)
Genki Sushi Co.,Ltd -Headquarter-
Iceland Pelagic ehf
AXA Assistance Argentina S.A.
Caterpillar Inc. - Headquarters
Tiger Brands Limited
SeaChoice
National Geographic Society
AmazonFresh, LLC - AmazonFresh

Copyright 1995 - 2024 Seafood Media Group Ltd.| All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER