European Conservative campaign scores success for recreational anglers

Emma McClarkin, Conservative MEP for the East Midlands, is thrilled that after a Conservative campaign in the European Parliament proposals to include recreational anglers in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) have been watered down.

Article 47 of the proposed ‘Community Fisheries Control Regulation’ would have required recreational fishermen to register their boats and whatever they caught would have been counted against the fisheries quota for that country. Each country would also have been required to allocate what share of its quota for each fish species would have been available for commercial and recreational fisheries use.



However, a compromise was agreed late last night by fisheries ministers in Luxembourg. The amendment of the Article means that only sea anglers are required to report a catch of a species that is covered by an EU stock recovery programme – currently cod in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, and Blue Fin Tuna in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. Ordinary fishermen fishing with a rod and line will not be affected.



Miss McClarkin stresses that the plans adopted are still far too draconian, given the negligible benefits they will have for fish stocks, however, she welcomes this first step.



She said:



“The initial plans put forward by the European Commission were frankly ludicrous and would have destroyed an innocent ancient hobby enjoyed by so many in the East Midlands. 



“These proposals were initially aimed at so-called recreational fishermen in southern Europe who often caught large hauls for sale, rather than an East Midlands’ hobby angler who might catch half a dozen fish. Yet Article 47 would have impacted on them and turned a relaxing pastime into a bureaucratic nightmare.



“I welcome the commitment to review this decision and will closely follow its progress. As a newcomer to this hobby I am thoroughly enjoying the activity and would be extremely disappointed if the European Union imposed pointless paperwork on the peaceful pastime.”