The CFP was first introduced in the 1970s and went
through successive updates, the most recent of which
took effect on 1 January 2014.
The CFP is a set of rules for
managing European fishing
fleets and for conserving fish
stocks.
In theory this access is
supposed to be equal,
but in practice it is not:
the EU manages access
to fishing waters and
determines how many
fish a national fleet can
catch.
Employment in the
fishing industry has
declined dramatically,
particularly in the UK, and
fish stocks continue to fall
despite recent reforms
Fisheries are a natural and
mobile resource and are thus,
by nature, common property
The CFP protects the environment and
improves fish stocks by placing limits on
how many fish can be caught.
The restructuring of the fishing industry
in the EU has ensured fairer prices for
efficient European fishermen
ARGUMENT FOR
The willingness of national
administrations to enforce the policy
varies widely making it an inconsistent
and ineffective policy
The damage to the environment has been increased rather
than decreased due to CFP measures, which waste natural
resources
ARGUMENT AGAINST
Through the practice of dumping catches that do
not conform to the TAC species quotas, fish stocks
have continued to decrease.
In 2008, as a result of stock recovery, North Sea cod catches were increased by 11%.