Will the Commission's fisheries reform be able to repopulate our seas' fish stocks and keep fishermen employed? Our panel discuss.

Focus: Fishing for the right solution

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15697705/M001-0073-EN.srt

In 10 or 20 years' time  will we still find all these fish in shops?

Or have we fished so much,  without enough restrictions,

that some species  will even have disappeared?

The European Commission believes there's  no other option, we need to fish less.

They say there are enough fish, it's the  quota system that doesn't always work.

Gaelle Le Ficher went to listen  to fishermen in France.

And we'll talk to our guests about  the new Common Fisheries Policy reform.

2:30am, port of Boulogne-sur-Mer,  northern France.

These boats, under 12m long,  leave with the tide

and let their 8km nets drift  close to the coastline.

On the netter 'Jérémy Florent',  we know a lot

Fisheries, fish quotas  and the time it takes.

if his children will be able  to follow in his footsteps.

The policy is supposed to save fisheries  but it feels like they want to get rid of us.

We love our job, we love the sea,  we love our freedom.

Today, all this is going  down the drain.

Nowadays, there are far too many laws,  technical regulations and quotas.

For the Lhomels  and the other fishermen in Boulogne,

Christophe Lhomel would like Brussels  to have a closer look at the situation.

Nobody from Brussels has ever come  aboard my boat and said:

'We're going to assess  your work for a year.'

A permit with points will be introduced  to punish fishermen

What will they do with the fish they catch  but they're not allowed to fish?

If I followed the current rules, I'd have  to throw half the box of plaice away.

But I'm only allowed 30%  of non-target species.

I don't think I've emptied the sea  with my two boxes.

Keep it, even if I'm breaking the law,  because I'm not throwing any more fish.

So you've seen that fisherman  find it hard to understand

and accept  these restrictions on fishing.

The Commission has proposed  a major reform of the Common Policy.

Our guests will tell us  what this involves

and if it is the right solution  for our fish.

With me today are Isabella Lövin  from the European Group of the Greens,

Guido Milana from the Group  of European Socialists and Democrats,

and Javier Garat, president  of Europêche, the fishermen's union.

In order to carry on fishing,  do we all really need to fish less?

So, Isabella Lövin,  let's start with you.

Can you tell us why  one of the main points of this reform

is the need to reduce  the volume of fishing?

Well, I think we have to adjust  the number of fishermen

And then those  that still are in the business,

they should have a profitable business  and a secure job for the future.

If we don't do anything now,  no one will have a secure job,

that is the sorry state  of European fish stocks.

Are there not enough fish, or are there  enough, as the Boulogne fishermen said?

Well, I cannot agree with the statements

that there is  a huge overcapacity everywhere.

Of course there's overcapacity  in some segments,

We have to study every segment,  every fishery,

and then determine whether  they have overcapacity or not.

Guido Milana, do you believe  that the data we have are complete?

When we met people who work  as fishermen every day, they said,

'We've already exceeded our quotas  by the seventh month.'

Do you think the data system  we have is in order?

It shouldn't become a debate about data.

I think the scientific community  has methods...

We should probably monitor  the scientific community

Of course, we can't just rely  on individual fishermen from one port,

We have a goal. The Common Fisheries  Policy that we had has failed.

We're drawing up  a new Common Fisheries Policy now

I think it would be wrong not  to introduce some corrective measures.

These could be more restrictive  in some respects,

but they need to be adapted  to the particular nature of our seas.

And it shouldn't be  a unilateral European move.

We share a lot of our seas  with non-European countries.

Disadvantaging our fishing industry  could benefit fishing outside Europe.

on the socio-economic aspect of fishing.

Does this reform not focus enough  on socio-economic aspects

and focus a bit too much  on environmental aspects?

The Commission estimates  that the fleet can currently catch

two to three times  what would be sustainable.

This has a huge environmental cost,  but also an economic one, as you said.