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PRESENTATION for the Fishery Committee of the European Parliament on November 12th 2002 by the President of the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association. |
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Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, There are, within the European Union, 2900 companies, (manufacturers, and wholesalers) trading in Recreational Fishing tackle and representing 60.000 jobs. These 2900 companies make an annual turnover of 5 Billion Euros. The Fishing tackle Trade serves 25 Million Recreational Fishermen representing 6,5% of the total EU Population through 12900 Tackle shops that employ another 39.000 people. 25 Million Recreational Fishermen spend an estimated 25 Billion Euros per year on equipment transportation and lodging in the 15 EU countries. This is only an estimation due to total lack of proper socio-economic data. For comparison: USA 2001 Data – Source: National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation USA: 44 Million Recreational Fishermen that spend USD 42 Billion on equipment, transportation and lodging, and other expenses associated with their sport. Including expenditures and measuring their "ripple effect" on the economy at local, regional, and national levels, the report shows that the broad economic impact of Sportfishing has grown from $108 billion in 1996 to $116 billion in 2001 in the USA.
The impact of Recreational Fishing on the European Economy Recreational Fishing is one of the largest, if not, the largest pastime in the EU. Recreational Fishermen are nature loving, healthy enthusiasts that go to great lengths to enjoy their hobby, in extreme cases, some competition adepts will spend up to 20.000 Euros per year on their sport. The amount of the budget they spend on Fishing Tackle is negligible in comparison with their indirect spending on items such as: Sportfishing Boats, Sports and Utility Vehicles, Caravans, Air Travel, Hotels and Accommodation, Fuel, Food, Maintenance, plus further spending at their fishing destination. The importance of this economy was outlined in particular by a Swedish study on the local economic and ecological effects of Commercial Fishing for Salmon Vs Sport Fishing (Erlandson-Hammargren, Ph.D.) carried out in 1989 on the Morrun river, Sweden. The results speak for themselves: The annual catch of 50 000 commercially caught Salmon was worth 500 000 Euros in total. The annual catch of 750 Salmon caught by Recreational Fishermen was 6 Million Euros to the local economy. ONE SALMON CAUGHT BY COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN IS WORTH 10 EUROS TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. ONE SALMON CAUGHT BY RECREATIONNAL FISHERMEN IS WORTH 2000 EUROS TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. Many Central American countries have realized the enormous potential income related to Sport Fishing: Costa Rica and Guatemala have already banned the commercial fishing of species such as Billfish in order to preserve them for the Tourism Fishing Industry. When will Europe understand this potential?
Alternatives for sustainable employment of commercial fishermen: A solution via recreational fishing. The 70 000 Km of coastline of the European Union represent a major unexploited potential for recreational fishing and Eco-tourism. ( The USA only has 20 000 km of coastline ) _____ Coastal Charter Fishing is a major potential for the recycling of commercial fishermen, made redundant by the new CFP. Funding should be made available for transforming commercial boats into Charter Fishing and Eco-Tourism Boats, improving safety equipment and structures, and providing training for the skippers and crew. By recycling commercial fishing boats in this manner, the local socio- economic tissue will be preserved, together with the local know-how and the dignity born of experience of these commercial fishermen. The economic input created by recreational fishermen could help the sustainable development of rural coastal areas and new forms of eco-tourism. This will also result directly in the development of rural accommodation structures. Recreational fishermen are not only interested in coastal fishing but also in Long-Range Deep Sea Angling, thus providing alternatives for larger boats. By managing in a sustainable manner the ocean’s resources, we do not only guarantee the future of the harvesting of the wild commercial species, but we also allow for the development of new economic potentials with a special link to recreational fishing and tourism. New legislation must be passed at EU level in order to organize Charter Fishing operations, as for the moment, in most EU countries, little or no legislation exists and most Charter Boats operate on an illegal basis through lack of governance or over-complicated bureaucracy. Only the UK seems to have a well organized legislation. As a direct result, there are presently 3000 Small Commercial Vessels operating in the UK for Charter Fishing and Eco-Tourism. (Source: UK, Maritime and Coastguard Agency) These represent an average of 6000 sustainable jobs not including "ripple effect" on accommodation and travel, fuel supply, boat construction, maintenance services, electronics supply, bait supply and harbor services. We can reasonably say that for every existing job on a Charter Fishing Vessel, there are 4 more indirect jobs created on land. The British Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Commercial Vessels The British Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Commercial Vessels was created in 1993 as a direct result of consulting with the Professional Charter Boat Organizations. It applies to Vessels up to 24 meters in length that don’t carry more than 12 passengers. It is a set of rules elaborated by the British Administration taking into consideration the different interests involved. In this highly practical document, priority is given to the security of the passengers and crews. Security is implemented by several measures covering the characteristics of the vessel, the security equipment required and the crew’s qualifications. Despite the fact that these small commercial vessels have a degree of security adequate to an area of operation, evaluated by nine years of records, the British code nonetheless, allows the operator, a relatively wider area of operation. This is a "must" nowadays, when the condition of the fish stocks require longer and longer journeys to find fish. We believe the British Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Commercial Vessels would represent an excellent guideline for the implementation of new EU legislation for Charter Fishing Vessels. We truly believe in the necessity for an important reform of the CFP, taking into account not only the dramatic need to manage fish stocks in a sustainable manner, but also to incorporate the importance of Recreational Fishing into the equation. The Recreational Fishing Industry can absorb the redundancies created by future reforms, and this can be made in a form that preserves the dignity of the Commercial Fishermen, the local socio-economic tissue, and the promotion of tourism in rural and even remote areas. All Sport Fishermen know very well that the more remote the area, the more fish there are to catch ! Louis Tchertoff
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