Cautious welcome for EU maritime plans

The EU’s much-heralded future maritime policy has been branded is a “missed opportunity”.

The policy was unveiled by Jo Borg, commissioner for fisheries and maritime affairs, on Wednesday.

It follows a major year-long consultation exercise in which the views of over 450 stakeholders were taken into consideration.

The Maltese official said the aim was to fully integrate environmental concerns into all maritime sectors and to meet environmental challenges.

It aims, he said, to achieve greater coordination and coherence between the EU's various maritime activities, in order to "deliver added economic, environmental and social value".

But criticism from various groups has been swift with the IFAW saying the package “fails to deliver on a truly integrated maritime policy”.

Veronica Frank, marine campaigner at IFAW’s EU office, said, “Maximizing the sustainable use of the oceans and seas is supposed one of the key objectives of the policy.

“But the IFAW is particularly concerned that the expansion of economic activities at sea and in coastal areas as envisaged in the commission’s action plan will exponentially increase the level of pressure on marine mammals and sensitive areas”.

Pilar Santamaria, editor of World Fishing, said, “Fishermen are aware that sustainability is the way forward.

"They know changes are unavoidable and they have acknowledged that there is a complete new approach towards the sea resources.

“They are central part of the maritime debate and one of the stakeholders who better knows the sea.

"The new maritime policy will be welcomed as long as fishermen feel their voice is being heard and feel they are being part of the bigger equation.

“We need to remember that the fisheries sector will be one of the most affected by the new maritime policy.”

Aaron McLoughlin, head of the WWF European marine programme, welcomes the proposal but stresses the need to avoid it becoming a “single patchwork” of actions.

“For years, oceans and seas have been treated as a no-man’s land for free exploitation. Now, for the first time, we see the intention to apply to apply to the marine environment the same principles used on land.”

* The commission is mounting a two-day maritime exhibition outside its Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. 

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