MEPs debate on the overhaul of the current monitoring fisheries activities, already agreed with the Council. The new rules foresee the tracking of all fishing vessels (except small-scale coastal vessels under nine meters and within specific conditions until 2030), electronic reporting of all catches and digital traceability along the supply chain. Press conference by Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

press conference

AGUILERA, Clara (S&D, ES)

common fisheries policy (T)

Press conference by Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&amp;D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Good afternoon. Well, we have finally approved a regulation for the control of fishing in Europe, which has been the most complex. We talk a lot about the fact that it has been five years and two years of trilogo. Four Council Presidency. It's been long, it's been... Well, it must be said that this regulation that we have approved summarizes the amendment of six regulations related to fishing, especially to fishing control.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, We have updated all fishing control systems in Europe. We had a regulation in 2009 that had nothing to do with Community fisheries policy and therefore we have updated that control. And the most important I want to highlight this update, to carry out a harmonization of all controls and sanctions related to fishing control.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, This was very necessary because there were some important differences. For example, in my country, in Spain, controls and sanctions were very high and then there were countries of the European Union where there is hardly any control and there are practically no sanctions on any of these issues. It could not be that one part of Europe's fishing sector had very strict controls on us, while another part had a very weak ones. Therefore, harmonization in the first question.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, The second, digitization. The fishing sector is entering the era of digitalization and, therefore, each and every one of the communication processes, of data, of catches, all the data that is so important for making decisions related to how fishing resources are found are going to be digital.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Third question: the total traceability of fishery products. In fresh fish, in frozen fish there was acceptable traceability, I think it could be improved, I have to say, but we have managed to improve that traceability in fresh, in frozen, but also in processed fish. In those cans of fishery products, five years we have given the industry an interval to identify the origin of the products that are processed.

paragraph-6 It is an evolution in traceability that we all as consumers want. Therefore, harmonization, clearly, digitalization and traceability are important elements of this reform. We have improved the attack and the fight against illegal fishing. And we have also protected, finally, we have clearly protected artisanal fishing.

paragraph-7 We have nothing against any type of fishing or with any type of boat, obviously. But we believe that artisanal fishing, those small vessels of less than 12 meters in length, have the possibility of some very important exceptions that I can detail to you, for example, that the mandatory geolocation for all vessels, that is, or that formula of each vessel, must identify where it is located.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, This geolocation will have a chance for artisanal fishing to be able to undertake it in four years. And if they are even smaller, those of less than nine meters in length and that fish in inland waters, will also be exceptional until 2030. We want to make it easier for those small ships, their small boat skippers to have more time to adapt to new technologies and to the new requirements demanded by the PPC.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I think it's a good deal. It has cost a lot because the application in some member states in others was very different. But I think we have made a qualitative leap that I hope will be accepted and accepted by the entire sector. There is now a very important facet in training. Digitalization needs to train our fishing sector, in order to have the right training to be able to address it. It was the presentation I wanted to give you initially and, of course, I am at your disposal if you want to ask any questions.

Q&A Question on the risks of having a system based on control and the critics it has received.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I suppose you're referring, as for the evaluation of the risk, to where the CCTV control systems would be mandatory in the implementation? I don't know if it refers especially to it, to what you mean by whether there is a risk, that is, if there is a certainty, obviously there is a control that is carried out and must be sanctioned.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, But I already say, I don't know if exactly your question refers exclusively to the deployment system that we have adopted for television cameras or remote control systems, both of which would be valid. They are for vessels of 18 meters in length or more that have a high risk of non-compliance.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, That's where I understand your question is going. When we tell all vessels of 18 meters in length or more that they are at a high risk of non-compliance with the disembarkation obligation, they would necessarily be required to have a remote control system or a closed circuit television system directed towards the capture area to identify if the disembarkation obligation is properly done.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, How do you evaluate that assessment, which seems subjective to say a high risk of non-compliance? The European Fisheries Agency has evaluations on each and every vessel of those who have already failed to comply, who have a risk of non-compliance within the usual fisheries inspection controls carried out by the European Agency. Therefore, that would be the parameter of those vessels where, in addition to being 18 meters in length or more, they would be at a high risk of non-compliance. For that it would be mandatory.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Not for the others, obviously. Although you also know that there are boats that have a closed circuit television system, because right now, for example, for certain tuners there are boats in my country and in some places where they install cameras to control a specific activity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, But I do want to make it clear, because I have heard some political group say that this is Big Brother, that this is a control over activity. It's not true, it's not true. The only thing that is required is that on site, at the place of the vessel, where the catches are made, have a control system for how the capture is, a closed circuit or remote television control and of course preserve all data protection.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I don't know if that was your question, and I'm not willing to go into more depth on some other question.

Q&A Question on the general criticism of the negoziations in the fishing sector.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Yes, I know that. I have been to Galicia a lot and I know the sector. I know the Spanish sector, in Galician and the Cantabrian region in general. And besides, I committed myself to some issues with them and I think we have fulfilled it. Well, they will make their assessment.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, And it was the sector in Galicia, because of the special characteristics of the Galician coast and because of the very small type of vessels. Well, they didn't want a geolocation system. Especially for small boats. Alright. I believe that geolocation in general, and I also believe in it, because when I was in the Government of Andalusia, we implemented it throughout the sector and in Andalusia there is geolocation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, But nevertheless, I fully understood the demand transmitted to us by the Galician fishing sector, mostly from the brotherhoods, where he was worried that they, who were fishing in the Galician Rias, in other words, in a very small area, that they were barely moving, they didn't understand, why do I want to be geolocated if they already see me? That is to say.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, And so we have achieved an important exception, in a Galician way, because this was very difficult because we are talking about a European regulation, but, the fact is that the Member State that can say that it requests that there be an exceptional geolocation until 2030 for vessels less than nine meters in length.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I think a good number. I would have wanted 12 meters, but the agreement was very complicated. But I think that to exclude and have a time until 2030 from the non-application of geolocation, on the one hand, for boats less than nine meters in length, in the end we'll have it, but it's enough time first.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Secondly. We are talking about the fact that today geolocation is not what it was ten years ago, that if some boxes were put there on many boats, but that geolocation can be with a mobile phone, with a GPS, that is, it can be easy. And I believe that geolocation also offers guarantees for the safety of the sailors themselves, that is, being located.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Therefore, understanding the specificity of the Galician estuary, which I understood it perfectly, we have accepted that exception that it does not come into force if requested by the Member State, which I am sure the exceptionality will be requested by the Spanish Government until 2030 and that obviously, the demand will no longer be for a large device, for a cost or nothing, but simply for some technological device, such as a simple mobile phone that can be located.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, This will also offer the possibility of, with this geolocation, offering these data electronically as well, and therefore, I think we have sincerely collected the specificity that I understood, that is, what they did to us from the coast of Galicia. Galicia has enormous potential and therefore I have respected it. And I also hope that I will go to the day in Cebreiro soon. I hope to explain it there with them in front, that they will tell me their impressions of this whole question.

Q&A Question about if this new reglament could encourage people to abandon the activity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Well, this is a control regulation. I mean, we are not talking about a regulation of Save the Fishing Sector. That is, there are controls, such as a traffic regulation. Well, it's always a little difficult for us to digest these things. I understand and I really want to convey it, I understand the situation of the sector, that is, that sometimes it is not valued sufficiently. I understand it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I think we have a commissioner who has not been able to empathize with the European fishing sector. I say that clearly. I told him. I think you have lacked sensitivity to the fishing sector. And for this reason, if it had not already had the rules, but rather a greater sensitivity, surely, the sector, which is a very difficult sector, which is sacrificed, which is hard and unattractive to young people, would have helped.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Therefore, I understand that situation. But I hope we have a, I mean, there is one thing that can help, because since we are talking about illegal fishing, we have established in this regulation with illegal fishing a much stricter control of imports.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Because another demand that the sector says and that I understand is that here we are very strict in standards, but that then it comes to us from Vietnam, from Indonesia, I don't know where. And now, we control imports less. There will be much greater control over fishery products. Much greater and therefore a regulation at European level to control imports, and don't let them put a cat for a hare or tuna for a pretty one. Or something else.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I think that's going to help there and it's going to help the sector. I think that's what it is. And I understand, I say, what you have is that supporting the sector needs more financial support, but also to help it with training. We are talking about digitalization. If we don't train the sector, it's going to be very difficult. It's not going to be too difficult.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, And another question you were referring to of every ten products we eat, seven come from outside. That is the aquaculture, especially. It hurts me because of the fishing resources are finite and sometimes you have to leave, that's why we have the quota system in the Atlantic or an effort reduction system in the Mediterranean.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, But we have to invest much more in aquaculture. It cannot be that here we are limiting aquaculture and yet we are importing 70% of the world's aquaculture production. We need proteins and this food that fishing offers us is, of course, very interesting and we cannot stop them. Therefore, I understand the situation in the sector.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I don't think this commissar has contributed. I say this clearly, clearly and he has experienced all these situations as attacks. I hope that this will change and I also hope that in the next legislature we will have a commissioner who understands fishing, and someone else takes it to the environment. So maybe you can dedicate a little more to this sector.

Q&A Question on how to control the extra community fishing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Well, yesterday we had a debate afterwards on the subject of the situation in China. And what it means. We make agreements with third countries for fishing, we have the agreement of Morocco, we have the one on Guinea-Bissau or we have the one on Mauritania, in Madagascar. We have a lot of agreements for the fleet.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, We make a very strict, very regulated agreement, where we give money so that the civilian population of that country can improve. And yet we are seeing the Chinese fleet enter without agreement or anything, to drain those resources from Madagascar, Mauritania or anywhere else. I believe that at the international level this must be done in international conventions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, The European Union as an organ. I mean, of course, we have high standards, okay, but we have to go to those international conventions to avoid what it's been doing right now, because in Latin America as we're seeing it or also in the waters of Africa, where the Chinese fleet is, we don't know what's going on. In addition in countries where they take advantage of governments with little democracy, where they don't have to give much transparency or many explanations to citizens.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, I think that the European Union has to go to international conventions to say that certain issues should not happen and the same thing that we are hyper-protecting, which is either in the Atlantic or in the North Sea, in the Baltic, in the Mediterranean. We have to prevent fleets, not just China. China is larger, but other fleets are certainly invading and depleting fishing resources and marine resources.

SOUNDBITE (English), Clara AGUILERA (S&D, ES), rapporteur on the new fisheries control rules, Not to mention those SPG agreements that exist with some countries of the Indian Ocean and that certainly do not respect even the lowest social norms, and yet there is also a fishing agreement there and their products can enter. I believe that the way to combat, which does not do it well and therefore does not harm everything, is in international conventions, and to try to make this situation island, limiting not only China, especially China, but also other countries.