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Blockades, strikes, demonstrations, and closed ports characterized much of the summer throughout Europe as fishermen across the continent protested the negative impacts that high diesel fuel prices have had on their already struggling industry.
Rising oil prices have pushed the cost of marine diesel up by 30 percent this year and 320 percent over the past five years. Without subsidies for fuel or a relaxation of fishing quotes that could help offset fuel-related costs, the fishermen argued, bankruptcy would be their only option. “This is the worst crisis in the industry in 100 years,” said Javier Garat, the Secretary General of the Spanish Fisheries Confederation.
In mid-summer the European Commission’s Fisheries Council took the bait, adopting an emergency package to tackle the fuel crisis that provided an extra €600 million in support of the European fishing industry. The objective of the proposal was to reduce overcapacity fishing while decreasing fuel costs through measures such as modernizing vessels. Partial decommissioning of new vessels, was also included in the deal, which critics have accused of coming dangerously close to a reintroduction of subsidies for vessel construction—a measure that was phased out in the Common Fisheries Policy Reform in 2002.
The Fisheries Council decision was not a unanimous one. Countries like Sweden voted no to the measure, stating that it was merely a short-solution to a long-term crisis. Higher fuel prices, they argued, are only aggravating the industries’ problems that are caused by too many fishing vessels and too few fish stocks. Marine advocates have echoed this sentiment, warning that the European’s proposed measures may offset fuel costs, but they encourage overcapacity fishing.
Instead of subsidies, critics are calling for a long-term approach that helps the fishing industry adapt to rising fuel prices over time. Marine advocates argue that government must take responsible decisions to ensure that expenditures focus on reducing fleet capacity, supporting moves towards smaller, less environmentally damaging fishing fleets, finding techniques with low energy consumption, and adopting smarter fisheries management practices, globally. Many marine conservationists are also arguing for a reallocation of government funds away from subsidies and towards programmes that can help fishermen establish other long-term sources of incomes.
Throughout the past year there has been a major push in the WTO to prohibit fisheries subsidies in order to allow the replenishment of global fish stocks. But the recent failure of the WTO to reach an agreement on key issues during the Mini-Ministerial held in Geneva at the end of July, had repercussions for negotiations like those on fisheries, who fell victim to the collapse.
In late September, the European Commission launched a phase of analysis and consultation to further reform the Common Fisheries Policy of 2002. While the European Commission acknowledges that the 2002 policy yielded significant achievements, in light of the recent challenges the industry has faced, they heeded advice that more long-term decision making is needed to address the economic profitability and ecological balance of the fisheries sector. Talks began in late September, with plans to issue a full discussion document in early 2009.
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