30% of community waters will have this “art” censored from the year 2030. These objectives have been achieved in order to protect marine ecosystems, which have acquired great importance within the European framework.
This is clear from the draft of the Action Plan for the conservation of fishing resources and protection of marine ecosystems that the European Commission presented in February and to which Europa Press has had access. In this document, which is not yet final and could be subject to some change, bottom fishing, specifically trawling, is described as “one of the most widespread and damaging activities for the seabed and its habitat.”
“Our oceans and seas, and in particular their sediments, are an important natural carbon sink. The importance of storing and maintaining carbon in marine habitats to address climate change is becoming increasingly well known,” claims the nearly 30-year report. pages.
Reduce human activity
In the text, Brussels stresses the importance of protecting marine environments, reducing the impact of human activity on sensitive habitats and achieving fishing sustainability. Thus, it expects that the seabed of 20% of community waters will be protected within a year, to achieve this 30% protection in 2030.
“The planning should include at least details on the identification of areas where moving bottom fishing should be prohibited, taking into account the commitments of the states,” the draft adds. All this, after the Director General of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG Mare) of the European Union, Charlina Vitcheva, confirmed a few weeks ago in Vigo that the Commission plans to expand marine protected areas (MPA, for its acronym in English). ) from 10% to 30% of Community waters to protect the seabed, a priori, with regard to trawling.
