Fight fishing and forestry 'plunder economy' in West Africa

EU Fisheries and Trade Policies: Fight fishing and forestry 'plunder economy' in West Africa

Commenting on today's adoption of his report on the role of the EU in the exploitation of natural resources in West Africa, rapporteur Frithjof Schmidt, Vice-President of the Development Committee said:

"With this report, the Parliament asks the Council and the Commission to drastically change track and commit towards sustainability in fish and timber import policies. The EU imports about 80% of the fish and timber that comes from the Community of Western African States (ECOWAS). A major share of the commercial activity in the fields of fish and timber in West Africa is sourced from illegal predatory practices.

Diminishing natural resources leads to loss of livelihood for many West Africans. In desperation many flee in small boats over the Mediterranean or the Atlantic, a trip that thousands do not survive. It is time for the EU to recognise its part of the responsibility for this tragedy and to radically change its policies.

Unfortunately, in a crucial vote, a majority formed by the EPP, PSE and Liberal groups deleted criticism of the potential threat of enlarging fishing capacities, which was in the paragraph on support for Joint Ventures in the fisheries sector. This vote shows that they are not serious about the fight against overfishing.

We need improved monitoring of fish stocks and forests, as well as control over the activities of both domestic and foreign fishermen and loggers in West Africa. We need to support our West African partners in the sustainable management of resources, and in the targeted fight against the plunder economy. Fish and timber from these practices must not enter the EU market. Local populations dependent on fishing and forestry must be involved in decision-making and their interests must have priority over the foreign, export-oriented and industrial timber and fish exploitation that destroys their livelihoods."

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Photo: The Senegalese boats of fishing have to go every time more far away to fish, given that the overfishing is ending with the stocks. Fountain: BBC

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Exploitation of resources of the Àfrica Occidental on the part of the UE and migrations
raulromeva | Migrations | Friday, 20 June of 2008 | 12:00h
With all the racket of the Directive of the Return, there is d’altres subjects, also related, as a matter of fact, with this Directive, and that they have argued and have approved in Strasburg (Parlament Europeu) that, in spite of not having the mediàtica coverage d’altres subjects, they deserve, at least on part of mine, an appraisal/explanation. A d’aquests subjects it is l’informe that goes el·laborar my colleague of group, l’alemany Frithjoff Schimdt, in relation in l’explotació on the part of the EU of the Resources of l’Àfrica Westerner. I remember that a very important part of the persons who migrate from d’Àfrica towards the UE d’aquella are part of the continent, reason for which we can not hide our responsibility, as receptive continent of migrated persons, with respect to the causes that make them migrate, how l’explotació are, among d’altres, from its resources. L’informe of Schmidt, in which dóno fully support, it was adopted by the Parliament Tuesday, in the terms established in this bond (report Coherencia of the policy of desarrollo y them efectos of the fear explotación the European Unión of biológicos naturales resources determinados in the desarrollo of the Occidental África). On the other hand, it is necessary to regret again like the coalition PSE, PPE, ALDE stopped from the report incorporating a significant criticism in relation to the risks that it supposes to increase the fishing capacity of the UE, one of the main persons responsible for the overfishing in African waters. I attach also l’explicació that the same speaker made to l’informe in relation: (it is...)

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