"I thank Peter and the committee for presenting the fisheries package, in detail I agree with the document relating to the common organization of the markets, our nation has a very large number of organisations, producers and it is in our interest that the policies they address are balanced.”
Thus Minister Masaf Francesco Lollobrigida on the sidelines of the Agrifish Council of the European Union in Brussels.
“We share the fact that up to now the BCP has proved to be quite a useful tool for the management of water resources. I express some perplexities, as an example of which other colleagues have also done, the methods of applying the landing obligation which determines, as designed, more costs than benefits, despite the laudable objectives it sets.
I take this opportunity to recall the importance of aquaculture as a healthy and sustainable food source that can contribute to the conservation of marine resources. Italian support for aquaculture is convinced and in this context, in hoping that to date there is no provision for modification of the basic regulation, we point out that any reasoning of this nature must be based on a profound and repeated consultation with all interested parties.
Referring instead to the issue of energy transition, I highlight how the crisis resulting from Russia's aggression against Ukraine has created considerable difficulties for the Italian sector, both for fishing and for aquaculture. A transition to more sustainable energy sources is also hoped for in Italy, but it is necessary to clearly identify which alternative sources should be referred to.
I want to remind you that the Italian operational plan for EMFF programming provides for measures aimed at renewing boats with, for example, lower engines for environmental impact. At the national level, however, there are concerns from the sector regarding the revision of the Energy Tax Directive.
Finally, moving on to the package document that most worries us, ie the action plan, I must express all our perplexity and opposition to the measures proposed in the text, which in no case can and should not be considered a binding provision.
A document that provides for such significant management measures requires further study and sharing with all interested parties. Italy shares the need to identify more effective tools to reduce unwanted catches and discards and is aware that eel management plans need to be reviewed. However, it will be appropriate to better evaluate the timing and methods of implementation of these processes to avoid getting lost in objectives that are difficult to achieve.
I would like to express a strong concern. On the declination for the action plan and in particular on trawling. Numerous efforts have been made in recent years during the negotiations that have led to the implementation of important measures such as the regulation for the western Mediterranean and the management of bottom trawling in the Adriatic Sea, just to name a few. Our fishermen due to the pandemic and the war had to struggle to respect it, but they did what was required. However, attributing to this fishing system the exclusive responsibility for the depletion of the seabed and fish resources appears to be an example and cannot therefore be accepted by us in these ways as described. This is how it appears to us in the action plan. We therefore hope that the contents of the plan will be reviewed, which will have to take place in concert with the Member States and with the operators in particular, in order to arrive at the identification of concrete but shareable and fair and economically sustainable measures.
Lastly, I share the perplexities raised by some colleagues, in particular by Greece and Cyprus, on fishing and controls relating to the way of fishing of third countries in the Mediterranean, and by other colleagues who have underlined how important it is not to continue to penalize our fishing fleets with rigid rules that do not apply to third countries.
We remain convinced that in this phase of history it is necessary to guarantee food security food sovereignty for the European Union and this must be done taking into account the period, without ideological visions which instead presuppose an attitude that is strongly castrating for our productive activities to the advantage of other nations in the same supply basins.”
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