The European Commission wants to prohibit the use of any kind of driftnets for fishing in all EU waters from next year.
Although rules are already in place to forbid using driftnets to catch certain migratory fish, the practice continues to be a cause of concern due to the incidental catching of marine mammals, sea turtles and sea birds that are mostly protected under EU legislation.
Driftnets consist of a string of vertical nets that drift with the current for kilometres, acting as ‘walls of death’ for fish and other sea life, entrapping even species not targeted by fishermen.
Ostensibly banned from the Mediterranean for over a decade by both the EU and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), driftnets continue to be used illegally across the Mediterranean with devastating environmental consequences.
To fight circumvention, the Commission proposal includes a full ban of driftnet fishing in the EU as of January 1, as well as the prohibition on keeping driftnets aboard fishing vessels.
The proposal even refines the current definition of a driftnet.
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki said: “Fishing with driftnets destroys marine habitats, endangers marine wildlife and threatens sustainable fisheries.
Fishing with driftnets destroys marine habitats, endangers wildlife and threatens sustainable fisheries
“I am convinced that the only way to eradicate this once and for all is to have clear rules that leave no room for interpretation. We need to close any possible loopholes and simplify control and enforcement by national authorities.”
She said this would also save the livelihood of those fishermen who have applied the rules over the past years. “The ban sends out a clear message that we no longer tolerate any irresponsible practices,” Ms Damanaki said.
The current EU legislative framework has shown weaknesses and loopholes.
The small-scale nature of the fishing vessels involved and the fact they do not operate together in the same areas has made it easier to escape monitoring, control and proper enforcement.