Northeast Atlantic

Conservationists urge full implementation of new EU regulation on deep-sea fishing formally adopted today

13 December, 2016

The European Parliament today concluded a long process of negotiation by voting to adopt a new regulation on deep-sea fishing, including a ban on bottom trawling below 800 meters in EU waters, and an obligation to close deep-sea areas to bottom fishing to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). The Parliament vote to approve the regulation paves the way for its entry into force early in the new year. The priority now is to ensure vigorous and effective implementation.

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European Parliament bans trawling below 800m in EU waters

13 December, 2016

Source: #DeepSeaFishing

The European Parliament today (13 December) approved a Regulation establishing new rules for fishing in the North-East Atlantic, including ALDE’s support for a total ban of bottom trawling below 800 meters in EU waters. The lack of a proper regulation and the development of industrial fisheries in the EU during the last decades led to a dramatic stock depletion and destruction of marine habitat. This ban, setting a worldwide precedent, will help to protect vulnerable deep-sea marine ecosystems more effectively  by setting stricter conditions on deep-sea fisheries.

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Defending the deep: the new EU deep-sea bottom trawling ban

16 August, 2016

Source: Virgin Unite
Author: Claire Nouvian

Hundreds of thousands of citizens, who added their voices to a hard-fought campaign to end one of the most absurd and abominable of all fishing practices, can finally celebrate a major peoples’ victory: the European Parliament, Council and Commission have agreed to a ban on deep-sea bottom trawling.

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Decision-Makers Draw a Line Under Deep-Sea Bottom Trawling

30 June, 2016

BRUSSELS—Conservation organisations are welcoming the agreement reached on 30 June by the European Parliament, Council of Ministers, and European Commission on key provisions for a new European Union (EU) regulation on deep-sea fishing that includes a ban on bottom trawling below 800 metres and would close areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known or likely to occur.

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Joint Letter To: Representatives of the European Parliament, Council, and Commission

9 December, 2015

 

To: Representatives of the European Parliament, Council, and Commission

December 2015

Re: Priorities for trilogue negotiations on a regulation for deep-sea fishing in the northeast Atlantic

We welcome recent progress towards agreeing a regulation to protect a uniquely vulnerable environment, three years after the European Commission issued its proposal and nearly two years since the European Parliament’s first reading was adopted.

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Europe A Step Closer To Protecting Deep Sea From Bottom Trawling

10 November, 2015

European Parliament must now conclude negotiations with Council and Commission

The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) welcomes the latest milestones in a lengthy battle to protect a uniquely vulnerable environment as the European Union (EU) Fisheries Council agreed last week to support measures to limit destructive deep-sea fishing, in particular to prohibit bottom trawling below 800 metres in EU waters in the northeast Atlantic. The European Parliament, which formulated its position on the file in December 2013, agreed today to enter into negotiations with the Council to finalise a regulation.

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