Mediterranean Sea At Risk - Oceana Europe

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WESTERN MEDITERRANEANOverfishing crisis: act now, or lose it foreverSEPTEMBER 2018Mediterranean Sea at RiskThe Mediterranean Sea is one of the world’s mostimportant seas. However, it is currently the world’smost overfished sea, with more than 90% of stocksfished above what is considered sustainable (i.e. aboveMaximum Sustainable Yield, or MSY).In the Western Mediterranean alone, overfishing affects80% of demersal fish stocks, which live and feed at, ornear, the bottom of the sea. Severe overexploitationrates pose high biological risks of stock collapse, whichdirectly affect fishermen, businesses and the livelihoodsof coastal communities that depend on the natural yetlimited marine resources there.Today, the most commercially‑important species in theMediterranean, including European hake, red mullet,or anglerfish, are exploited 10 times more than whatscience recommends.Overfishing, together with the extensive use of bottomtrawling fishing, known as the main threat to theecosystems and artisanal fisheries in the Mediterranean,are the main culprits behind the critical state of MareNostrum.In the WesternMediterranean,overfishing affects80%of demersal fish stocks.While bottom trawlingis known as themain threat to theecosystems and localartisanal fisheries.In addition to it, politicians have repeatedly ignoredscientific advice, failed to implement existing measures,and failed to set adequate control measures forthose that were implemented. The EU takes a greatresponsability for the current dire situation of theMediterranean Sea as the key fishing player in terms ofvolume of catches, the size and the capacity of its fishingfleet.Trawling marks in the Malta Bank OCEANAWESTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it forever1

LEVELS OF OVERFISHINGWESTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it forever2

Lack of effective regulatory framework is another keymotif behind dwindling fish populations in the region. Inpractice it means that:EU WESTERN MED.TRAWLING FLEET1- MSY is far from being achieved: due to continuedover-fishing and ignoring scientific recommendations,the EU is still lagging behind in achieving sustainablefisheries by 2020.- High catches ofdemersal fish accountfor 81‑97% of thetotal volume oflandings in Italy, Spainand France.- Fishing control effort is not effective: Member Statesare not able to tackle the problem of excessive fishingmortality in the Mediterranean Sea, which under EUcompetence is on average three times higher thansustainable levels.- Catches of juvenile fish are too high: poor selectivityof catches is caused by bottom trawlers- Protection of nurseries and spawning areas is poor: insufficient protection of Essential Fish Habitats (EFHs),which contribute to the recovery of overfished stocks.- Discarded fishaccount for more than40% of the total catchon average with thatfigure rising to 60% inshallow waters- Enforcement and control measures are limited: lackof inspections and/or sanctions; non-compliant gears;boat power, minimum size. Some trawlers even targetjuvenile fish aggregations.Bottom trawling banEarlier this year, the European Commission publishedits new proposal for the first multi-annual managementplan (MAP) for demersal fish stocks in the WesternMediterranean Sea.Given an alarming situation of its dwindling fisheries andinability of the Mediterranean governments to tackleoverfishing, banning the most destructive trawling gears isinevitable.The Commission proposes to restrict trawlers fromoperating up to 100 m deep, from 1 May to 31 July eachyear. Oceana does not consider this measure sufficientenough to protect the most vulnerable part of the EUwaters (the coastal zone) and to meet the objectivesoutlined in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it foreverESTIMATED DISCARDRATES FROMTRAWL FISHERIESIN THE WESTERNMEDITERRANEAN2:Spain: 20-40%France: 27-40%Italy: 20-35%3

Oceana proposes to extend the trawl-free zone to at least 100 m deep all year round, rather thangranting temporary bans since this would not preserve sensitive habitats.This would contribute to: Rebuilding fish stocks and reducing fishing mortality Improving selectivity and reducing by-catch of juvenile fish Protecting Essential Fish Habitats (EFHs); in particular, safeguarding nursery areas of key demersalstocks (i.e. mullet, seabream and part of hake nurseries) Strengthening the protection of sensitive habitats (e.g. maërl and coralligenous beds) and givingpreferential access to low‑impact small scale fisheries - the most important fleet in the regionUrgent need for a catch limit systemMediterranean fisheries are managed differently fromthe rest of the fisheries in the EU, on the basis of theeffort control (i.e. ‘days at sea’) and technical measures.Scientists confirm that the so-called “Mediterraneanfisheries paradigm” is ineffective in reducing the levels offishing mortality and resulting in the situation in which“limiting the time allowed to fish at sea leads to an investmentin equipment to catch more fish in the same amount of time.” 4Despite the fact that STEFC (an EU advisory body)provides scientific advice every year on EU Mediterraneanfisheries, the actual number of catches has usually beenmuch larger than what science recommends as a limit.The effort control is insufficient to reduce fishingmortality. More drastic measures are needed to rebuilddwindling fish stocks.5WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it foreverEXCESSIVE FISHINGCAPACITY IN ITALY, SPAINAND FRANCE380% of the fleet forwhich an assessmentwas possible relies onoverfished stocks56% of the fleetis economicallyunsustainable in theshort‑term47% of the fleetis economicallyunsustainable in thelong‑term4

Effort reduction required to reach MSY by 2020HAKENorthern Spain(GSA 6)2015 levelsGulf of LionGulf of Lionx8(GSA 7)2015 levelstimes the sustainablelevels- 90 %x 12.82020*times the sustainablelevels- 93 %2020*RED MULLETNorthern Spainx 3.27(GSA 6)2015 levelstimes the sustainablelevelsGulf of Lion(GSA 7)2015 levels- 72%2020*x 3.27times the sustainablelevels- 69%2020** CFP legal obligationIneffectiveness of the current effort system, thecontinuous ignorance of the scientific advice andinadequacies of existing national management plansare major reasons behind the alarming situation of theMediterranean Sea stocks’ collapse.Hence, setting catch limits proves to be a more effectiveway in meeting the objectives of the CFP. Considering thecomposition of catches in mixed Mediterranean, it willalso ensure that all species are exploited within safe limits.In the North-East Atlantic for example, the implementationof catch limits in line with scientific advice has graduallycontributed to reduced levels of overfishing, bringing at thesame time the benefits to the fishing sector, the region’seconomy and to the environment.WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it forever5

Policy recommendationsThe first multi-annual management plan for demersal fish stocks inthe western Mediterranean Sea is of utmost importance to bring morestability, transparency and sustainability to the region.The Commission’s proposal is a direct follow-up to the MedFish4EverDeclaration from 2017 and a timid step in the right direction onthe path to recovery of exploited marine species. As it stands now,the proposal is insufficient to address the overfishing crisis in theMediterranean by 2020, as laid out in the CFP.Therefore, Oceana recommends taking urgent and bold actions aimed at: Creating a trawl‑free zone of at least 100 m deep Establishing fisheries closures in deep‑sea areas where juveniles andsensitive habitats occur Implementing catch limits based on scientific advice, necessary toreach the objectives of the CFP and to restore the abundance of theMediterranean Sea in the short‑termNew, science-based fisheries governance together with effectivemanagement measures are key elements to guarantee long‑termsustainability of the Mediterranean fisheries.It is a legal duty of our politicians to replenish all EU fish stocks tosustainable levels by 2020. The Mediterranean Sea in not differentin this regard, and therefore the decision-makers should no longerpostpone the actions, nor look for further excuses to save MareNostrum. Through the ministerial MedFish4Ever declaration, thecoastal countries of the Mediterranean Sea committed to followingscientific advice, to ensuring the sustainability of resources and therecovery of heavily overfished stocks.There is no better momentum to adopt an ambitious multi‑annual planthat would mark a milestone in recovery of the stocks and the richecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea.References12345STECF-16-21; STECF 16-11; STECF 17-18; GFCM The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2016The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2016 (SoMFi 2016): http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5496e.pdfSTECF 16-18STECF – 55th Plenary Meeting Report (PLEN-17-02); Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg; EUR 28359 EN; doi:10.2760/53335Spedicato, M. T. (2016). Study on the Evaluation of Specific Management Scenarios for the Preparation of Multiannual Management Plans in theMediterranean and the Black Sea. CALL MARE/2014/27, CONTRACT NUMBER-EASME/EMFF/2014/1.3. 2.7/SI2. 703 193. Final Report.Cover: OCEANA / Marta CarrerasOCEANA IN EUROPEEuropean HeadquartersGran Vía 59, 9.º28013 Madrid, SpainPhone: 34 911 440 880Email: europe@oceana.orgEuropean Union OfficeRue Montoyer, 391000 Brussels, BelgiumPhone: 32 (0)2 513 22 42Email: brussels@oceana.orgWESTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it foreverBaltic and North Sea OfficeNyhavn 16, 4 sal1051 Copenhagen, DenmarkPhone: 45 33151160Email: baltic@oceana.orgUnited Kingdom OfficeAudley House, 13 Palace St.SW1E 5HX, London, UKPhone: 44 20 7808 7000Email: oceanauk@oceana.org6

Mediterranean Sea. Given an alarming situation of its dwindling fisheries and inability of the Mediterranean governments to tackle overfishing, banning the most destructive trawling gears is inevitable. The Commission proposes to restrict trawlers from operating up to 100 m deep, from 1 May to 31 July each year.

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