For the second year in a row, the report; Fish Dependence: The Increasing Reliance of the EU on Fish From Elsewhere, reveals the extent to which the EU and its member states are importing seafood because they have depleted their own waters.
Fish stocks are a renewable resource, yet according to European Commission figures, EU fishing vessels are removing species more quickly than the stocks can replenish, leading boats to fish in waters of non-EU countries and the high seas.
The EU has the largest and used to have some of the richest fishing grounds in the world, but we have failed to manage them responsibly," said Uta Bellion, director of the Pew Environment Groups European Marine Programme and OCEAN2012 coordinator.
"To satisfy Europeans increasing appetite for fish, overfishing is now being exported to other parts of the world. Restoring the health of Europes stocks to levels where they can be fished and consumed sustainably is the obvious way to stop this trend.
The key findings from the report highlighted that if the EU were to consume only fish from its waters, it would have run out on the second of July.
Individual EU member states became dependent on fish imports as follows: Portugal, 26 April; Germany, 27 April; Italy, 30 April; Spain, eight May; France, 13 June; and the UK, 16 July (projected).
The real impact of EU overfishing on its own stocks, and thereby on the availability of fish in the market and on menus across Europe, is masked by imports.
This report emphasises that if people want sustainable seafood, they must pressure decision-makers to reform the EUs Common Fisheries Policy with an eye on ensuring the long-term viability of European fisheries, Ms Bellion said.
Eating more fish than what EU waters can produce is gambling with the future of fish stocks and fisheries-dependent communities, putting at risk jobs and livelihoods in the EU and beyond, said Aniol Esteban of the new economics foundation and co-author of the report.
To view the full report please follow:
Fish Dependence: The Increasing Reliance of the EU on Fish From Elsewhere
EU Dependence On Seafood Imports To Increase
EU - A recent report by OCEAN2012 and the new economics foundation has revealed that, starting from the third of July, the EU is now dependent on seafood from elsewhere, six days earlier than last year.
