The new economics foundation (nef) has estimated the degree of self-sufficiency
in fish consumption achieved by the EU as a whole and for each of its member
states; self-sufficiency is defined as the capacity of EU member states to meet
demand for fish from their own waters. We have expressed the degree of selfsufficiency
in the form of a fish dependence day. Based on a member states or
a regions total annual fish consumption, the fish dependence day is the date in
the calendar when it will start to depend on fish from elsewhere because its own
supplies have been depleted.
For the EU as a whole, fish dependence day is now 6 July, indicating that almost
one-half of fish consumed in the EU is sourced from non-EU waters. Last year, it
was 2 July; the year before, it was 9 July. Compared to 2011, this is positive news
as the EU marginally reduces its reliance on fish from non-EU waters by four
days. Whilst it is still too early to say, we hope that the results mark a change in
the trend and a sign that overfishing is diminishing in EU waters. All else being
equal, this would manifest itself as improving self-sufficiency. Currently, however,
the level of EU self-sufficiency is too low and the degree of overexploitation in EU
waters too high. From 2000 to last years assessment, the EUs fish dependence
day had fallen earlier and earlier in the year, and is still three weeks earlier than in
2000.
Restoring 43 fish stocks (out of more than 150 EU stocks) to their maximum
sustainable yield would increase the EUs self-sufficiency levels by more than two
months (69 days), moving its fish dependence day to 14 September. If directed
only to human food consumption, rebuilding stocks could provide for the annual
consumption of 90 million EU27 citizens.
Member states with little or no access to EU waters, such as Austria, Slovakia,
and Slovenia, evidently become fish dependent early in the year. More surprising,
however, is that many member states with greater access to EU waters are also
fish dependent early in the year. These include Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and
France all of whom source more than one-half of their fish from non-EU waters.
Our calculations include domestic aquaculture (fish farming) in EU countries, a
growing enterprise that has served to marginally offset the overexploitation of EU
fish stocks but has not itself been responsible for reversing the trend of increasing
fish dependence that has taken place over the past decade. Nonetheless, without
aquaculture, the EUs fish dependence would be 11 June; for big aquaculture
producers such as Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, their respective national fish
dependence day would occur more than one month earlier. Similarly, restoring EU
fish stocks would result in significant gains in self-sufficiency levels.
In a context of finite resources and growing populations, the current EU model
is unsustainable. The EUs increasing fish dependence has implications for
the sustainability of fish stocks globally, which are also overfished, and for the
communities that depend on them.
The main message of this report is that rising fish consumption in a context of
overexploited stocks is environmentally unviable and socially unfair. The EU has
highly productive waters that have the potential to sustain a long-term and stable
supply of fish, jobs, and related social and economic benefits, but only if its fish
resources are managed responsibly.
The reform of the EUs Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) offers a perfect opportunity
to put the structures in place to turn this situation around. To transform the
management of the EUs marine resources, the new CFP needs to provide a policy
framework that will restore marine ecosystems to healthy levels and deliver a fair
allocation of resources. At a minimum this will require the following actions.
- Set a clear target to restore EU fish stocks to MSY levels.
- Reduce capacity in line with the available resources; improve data collection, transparency, and reporting; and prioritise scientific advice in determining catch quotas.
- Create a context in which being profitable is aligned with doing the right thing, by making access to resources conditional on social and environmental criteria.
- Promote responsible consumption among all EU consumers, and implement measures that are conducive to more responsible fishing outside EU waters.
- Use public funds to deliver social and environmental goods by investing in environmentally constructive measures, research, and stakeholder involvement, as well as enforcing sustainable quotas and practices.
In order for this to happen, policymakers need to look beyond the short-term costs that could result from reform and prioritise the long-term benefits that healthy marine resources will provide.
Further Reading
 | - | You can view the full report by clicking here. |
October 2012
