Joint declaration on fishing discards

Joint Declaration on discards in the context of the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy 1 reiterate their commitment to the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and to the preservation of a European fisheries sector in all its diversity, 2 note the variety of fishing practices and management methods within the European Union which must be preserved and properly taken into account, 3 re-state their commitment to an ambitious reform of the common fisheries policy, based on the principle of sustainable development and aiming at the maximum sustainable yield in the framework of ecosystem-based fisheries management, 4 reiterate their view that the wasteful practice of discarding fish, that is tolerated and in some cases even promoted by the current structure of the management system, constitutes a considerable obstacle on the road to a sustainable fisheries policy, 5 consider that a discard ban as proposed in the draft basic regulation of the future CFP is unrealistic and too prescriptive, and that a pragmatic approach is needed especially in the context of mixed fisheries, particularly in the Mediterranean, 6 support instead the inclusion in the basic regulation of the ambitious objective of a significant reduction of discards, 7 consider that this objective should be pursued on a fisheries-based approach, in the framework of the multiannual plans, on the basis of a thorough impact assessment examining for each fishery the causes of discards and assessing the environmental, economic and social impact of the measures foreseen to reduce unwanted catches.