"Apart from its strategic importance and contribution to dietary needs, the fisheries sector is vital to the socio-economic well-being of many communities," said GUE/NGL MEP João Ferreira during a debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in the European Parliament this morning.

"So far, the CFP has neglected the multi-functional nature of this sector and we have to see if CFP reform will improve the situation but signals from the Commission are very worrying," he said, adding that artisanal and coastal fisheries are not taken into account in the Commission's proposals.

Ferreira said that concentration of fishing in the hands of the biggest operators will lead to the decline of fishing communities and stressed that there are other paths - "the new European fund for maritime affairs could be linked with other instruments such as cohesion policy," he said, adding that we must ensure access for family firms to this support system.

He also called for the rejuvenation of the sector through the provision of the necessary vocational training for young people and the recognition and enhancement of the role of women in the fisheries industry.

"We want decentralised and sustainable management of fisheries and for this reform to recognise the public goods produced by the sector," he concluded.

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20   

David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12

gabrielle.kavanagh@europarl.europa.eu  

david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu