Deep-sea fisheries: Parliament calls for bottom trawling ban in vulnerable areas

All fishing activities should be banned in areas with vulnerable marine ecosystems, to be listed by the European Commission. However, bottom trawling should not yet be phased out altogether, said MEPs in the plenary vote on a draft EU regulation on fishing deep-sea stocks in the North-East Atlantic that took place on the 10 December 2013.

EurActiv reported on the 18 December 2013 that around 20 MEPs claimed they accidentally approved deep-sea fishing due to the complexity of the amendments and voting system in the European Parliament.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 10.12.13: Euro-deputies reject ban on bottom-sea trawling http://euobserver.com/environment/122422

ESO: Background information: Commission proposes to protect fragile deep-water ecosystems on the high seas from bottom trawling http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-proposes-to-protect-fragile-deep-water-ecosystems-on-the-high-seas-from-bottom-trawling/

ESO: Background information: Fisheries: the Commission tables new measures for better protection for deep-sea stocks and their habitats http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-fisheries-the-commission-tables-new-measures-for-better-protection-for-deep-sea-stocks-and-their-habitats/

Spiegel Online International, 13.12.13: Reeling in the Trawlers: EU Takes on Overfishing http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/eu-mandates-more-sustainable-fishing-practices-while-stocks-rise-a-938724.html

EurActiv, 18.12.13: MEPs mix up buttons in deep sea fishing vote http://www.euractiv.com/sustainability/meps-mix-buttons-deep-sea-fishin-news-532397

EurActiv, 12.11.15: EU moves step closer to ban on deep-sea trawler fishing http://www.euractiv.com/sections/climate-environment/eu-moves-step-closer-ban-deep-sea-trawler-fishing-319420

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