Federal Minister Aigner visits Institute for Baltic Sea Fisheries

Federal Minister Aigner and Dr. Hammer, Head of the Institute for Baltic Sea Fisheries, Source: Guido Bergmann - BPA

She said that a future-orientated fisheries policy had to be based on three pillars: sustainable management of fish stocks, consistent controls of catch levels, and sustainable consumption. Her talks with scientists and representatives of fisheries also addressed the issue of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, and the situation regarding the herring stocks in the western Baltic Sea.
On board the "Seeadler", a fishery protection vessel, staff from the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food explained about fishery controls using practical examples.

MinisterAigner with a member of the Institute at the Computer, Source: Guido Bergmann - BPA

Federal Minister Aigner called for EU fisheries ministers to use scientific analyses and recommendations as a basis for laying down the annual catch levels. She said that the stipulated total allowable catches, and the quotas for the individual Member States should be complied with consistently. She went on to say that strong controls and substantial sanctions were indispensable. Ilse Aigner emphasised that consumers bore a responsibility for securing sustainable fisheries as well as the State. She said that consumers were able, through what they bought, to make a targeted contribution to sustainable fisheries.

Reorientation of the Common Fisheries Policy

Minister Aigner on a work boat, Source: Guido Bergmann - BPA

With regard to the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, Ms. Aigner said that the sustainability goal was the BMELV’s top priority. She continued by saying that modern fisheries management entailed expanding the multi-year management and restocking plans to include other stocks, and to launch future-orientated programmes to support these measures. She stated that unwanted bycatches, in particular, were to be avoided wherever possible. She went on to say that more accurate fishing gear and measures to protect juvenile fish were of prime importance in this regard. She said that this included the introduction of bans on discards and of landing requirements.

Federal Minister Aigner welcomed the Fisheries Control Regulation which came into force throughout the EU on 1 January 2010. She said that more stringent and effective controls, together with dissuasive sanctions, were important instruments for preventing and fighting infringements of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Sustainable Consumption

Minister Aigner on the fishery protection boat "Seeadler", Source: Guido Bergmann - BPA

She continued by stating that the BMELV, in cooperation with the fisheries industry and environmental and consumer associations, had drawn up some basic principles for the labelling of sustainably produced fishery products from wild fish. She said that an important result of this work was the designation of origin for fishery products. She went on to say that the BMELV had developed an internet database which contained data sheets with information on fish species, the different stocks and the different fisheries presented in a scientific and unbiased manner. She said that this would enable both consumers wishing to opt for sustainable fish and trade operators to inform themselves on the internet.

Other participants in the round of discussions included Dr. Till Backhaus, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Consumer Protection in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, and Normber Kahlfuss, Chairman of the Verband der Deutschen Kutter- und Küstenfischer e.V..