Meeting in Rome with EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Cōstas Kadīs.
Meeting in Rome with EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Cōstas Kadīs. Also present were Minister Francesco Lollobrigida and Undersecretary Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra
‘Don't consider fishermen an obstacle, fishing is a resource not a problem’
Filippo Parrino (Vice-President of Legacoop Agroalimentare): ‘It is fundamental to build policies that involve and support them to ensure a sustainable future for European fishing’
ROME, 13 March 2025 ‘Fishing is not a problem, but a resource. Fishermen are not obstacles to sustainability, but allies in protecting our seas. It is essential to build policies that involve them and support them to ensure a sustainable future for European fishing'. This was underlined by Filippo Parrino, vice-president of Legacoop Agroalimentare, at the meeting The fishing sector in Italy and the European Union: challenges and opportunities, held today in Rome in the presence of European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Cōstas Kadīs and, among others, the Minister for Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida, Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra, undersecretary of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Marco Lupo, head of the Agriculture Ministry.
Parrino asked the Commissioner for ‘a fair approach, one that does not see fishermen as the main culprits in the crisis in our seas. On the contrary, fishermen are the true guardians of the sea, the first sentinels of the marine ecosystem, aware that their very survival depends on the health of the oceans’. And not only that. ‘In addition to being guarantors of environmental sustainability, fishermen are also guardians of traditions, knowledge and a food chain that is essential for Europe's food security’.
Convinced that ‘Europe must unite, not divide’, Parrino pointed out that ‘the Pact for the Oceans is an ambitious project, but it is crucial that its approach is clear from the outset. Fishing and aquaculture should not be the only target of this plan. We need a true ecosystem approach and a holistic vision of the Blue Economy. The challenge will be to translate this vision into concrete practices'. This is why the Vice-President asked ‘what tools the Commission intends to adopt to ensure a balance between environmental, economic and social sustainability’.
And of course, ‘the Pact cannot ignore the climate challenge: acidification of the seas, rising temperatures, the entry of alien species’. And here too the question is ‘how the Commission intends to address these issues in a systemic way’.
In addition to all this, ‘it is essential to maintain a dedicated fisheries and aquaculture fund, not a generic European fund. Investment is needed to modernise the fleet, improve training and ensure safety on board. Furthermore, we ask that conditionality for access to funds should not be applied on a multi-sectoral level per Member State, but should be calibrated to the specificities of the fishing sector’.
Parrino expressed concern ‘about the risk of excessive bureaucracy. Delegated and implementing acts could increase costs for companies that are already under great pressure. We ask that stakeholders be more actively involved in finding the best possible solutions'.
And he pointed out that ‘the review of the Common Fisheries Policy must recognise the efforts made by the sector: reduction of catches, gear selectivity, energy and digital transition. But it must also consider the real factors depleting fish stocks: pollution, climate change, illegal spills. Fishing is not the main cause, as FAO data show: from 2000 to 2023 the European fleet decreased by 28%, yet many stocks are still suffering’.
Concluding, Parrino said we must ‘maintain what has worked, such as regionalisation, and correct what has proved unworkable, such as the landing obligation. In addition, we must support fishermen, who today face serious challenges: rising operating costs, increasingly complex regulations, and difficulties in attracting the younger generation'.
Press contact:
Andrea Settefonti 3473400198
From traditional advertising to digital tools such as Newsletter and Direct Email Marketing. Let's build together the most effective communication strategy for your growth.
Find out
From traditional advertising to digital tools such as Newsletter and Direct Email Marketing. Let's build together the most effective communication strategy for your growth.
Find out