Common Fisheries Policy

Question 1

Which country receives the most in terms of EU fishing subsidies?

Answer 1

Spain receive 1/3rd of all EU Fishing subsidies

Question 2

As of the current MFF (2014-2020) what is the EU’s budget for the Maritime and Fisheries Fund?

Answer 2

€6400 million

Question 3

Give a statistic which illustrates the poor application of quotas regarding the Common Fisheries Policy.

Answer 3

Before reform in early 2016, nearly HALF all fish caught in the North sea were thrown overboard dead

Question 4

How would you answer a 15 Marker entitled “What is the Common Fisheries Policy and Why has it been controversial?”

Answer 4

1. ‘Over centralised, imposed from Brussels and bears little resemblance to what happens at sea’- Eg: Overly strict quotas- fishing discards and the fact that at one point, HALF of all fish in the North sea were being thrown overboard, dead. Eg- Victor Muniz’ plant in Gallica recieved subsidies from the EU to upgrade it’s capacity to 3000 tonnes of fish per hour. It stands silent now as EU officials did not factor in subsidies when doling out money to Muniz.
2. Environmentalists like Isabella Lovin have criticised it on the grounds of sustainability, in that it is modelled on agricultural policy. With agriculture, effciency is increased with more tractors and more fertilisers. In the sea, more boats mean less fish! 90% of fish stocks in EU waters will become unstainable in the next ten years if fishing continues at the present rate.
3. Inadequate policing: Spain has been found guilty of breaking EU fishing laws 3 times.
   Albacora, a Spanish fishing firm was fined $500 million in 2010- one of the largest fines in US history for illegally placing fishing equipment in US waters…. and yet the company still receives €1.8 million in CFP subsidies

Question 5

Give an example of EU mismanagement of money from the CFP.

Answer 5

Victor Muniz operates a fish processing plant in Galica, Spain which received funding from the CFP in 2009 to upgrade it’s processing potential to 300 tonnes of fish per hour. It now stands mostly silent, as EU officials did not factor in Mackerel quotas when doling out the subsidies to Muniz. It is argued that examples like Muniz’s are commonplace across the EU’s seas.

Question 6

Is the CFP sustainable?

Answer 6

NO. 90% of fish stocks in EU waters will become unstainable in the next ten years if fishing continues at the present rate.

Question 7

Who is Isabella Lovin?

Answer 7

A Swedish Green Party MEP who has criticized the CFP/