WWF calls on EU to end overfishing

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">&quot;Studying to be a marine biologist I don&rsquo;t want to be out of a job because all marine life will have been destroyed,&quot; said Jes&uacute;s Ra&uacute;l Navarro Serrano, a young Spaniard who traveled to Brussels to voice the concern of the tens of thousands of citizens who have so far signed the &lsquo;More Fish&rsquo; petition. &quot;This is as much about saving our traditions and cultural heritage as it is about saving fish. I call on MEPs (members of European parliament) to make sure that the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy offers a sustainable future for fish and fishing in Europe.&quot;<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">The European Commission proposal was sent to the European Parliament for review and adoption last summer and will be intensely debated in the coming months. WWF&rsquo;s EU wide 'More Fish' petition will be handed over in September ahead of an important plenary vote on the CFP reform (currently scheduled for Sep. 12 2012).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">The &lsquo;More Fish&rsquo; petition asks the president and MEPs to:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">◦ stop the top-down and short-term management by ensuring fisheries are managed regionally, under long-term plans that result in the recovery of marine ecosystems and fish stocks;<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">◦ stop the waste by implementing a coherent set of rules so that fishermen only catch what's needed when it's needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">◦ stop overfishing overseas by applying the same principles to all European boats wherever they operate in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt">&quot;Our goal is to have 500,000 citizens sign up by September and show MEPs that their constituents care about sustainable fisheries and hold them responsible for achieving this,&quot; said Anouk Delafortrie from WWF&rsquo;s European policy office. &quot;If MEPs vote for the status quo we will fail to save Europe&rsquo;s seas, fishing communities and fishing industry. But by demonstrating leadership in shaping a new and ambitious CFP they can ensure the recovery of fish stocks. And more fish if managed sustainably will lead to higher profits and better jobs.&quot;<o:p></o:p></span></p>