Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001307/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Donazzan (ECR), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR), Carlo Fidanza (ECR), Carlo Ciccioli (ECR), Giovanni Crosetto (ECR), Alessandro Ciriani (ECR), Chiara Gemma (ECR), Sergio Berlato (ECR), Alberico Gambino (ECR), Francesco Torselli (ECR), Mario Mantovani (ECR), Daniele Polato (ECR), Mariateresa Vivaldini (ECR), Antonella Sberna (ECR)
The size of the Italian fishing fleet has fallen sharply since 2004, standing at 1 1685 vessels as at 31.12.2023 (-21 %), as have the total fishing days: -33 % in 2008-2023, -15 % of which in 2019-2023.
Amid this alarming situation, the Commission[1] proposed further cuts which, for the Italian fleet operating in the western Mediterranean, provided for a reduction of 38 % for the bottom trawling effort, of 25 % for the deep-water longline fishing effort, of 18 % in the catch limit for blue shrimp and of 29 % for red shrimp, and for the introduction of a catch limit for cod using gillnets and trammel nets.
In the light of the very keen competition from non-European countries and the need to safeguard the socio-economic sustainability of Italian fleets, can the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.Will it consider rethinking Regulation (EU) 2021/1139, and the so-called EMFAF, to allow the necessary funding for fleet renewal?
- 2.Will it assess whether to revise the Action Plan of February 2023 to protect bottom trawling?
- 3.Will it consider introducing instruments to protect European seas from the growing presence of invasive alien species, which are seriously damaging indigenous fish production?
Supporter[2]
Submitted: 28.3.2025
- [1] Commission services non-paper, 27 November 2024, Updates to Commission proposal for a Council Regulation fixing the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Mediterranean and Black Seas for 2025 (COM (2024) 408 final).
- [2] This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Stefano Cavedagna (ECR)