Last week the EAA Sea and Freshwaters Subgroups were convened in Amsterdam. Fruitful discussions took place amongst EAA members and partners on key angling issues and priorities for 2020 and the next few years.
The EAA Subgroups meet three times a year besides the General Assembly. This time, EAA members were gathered in Amsterdam, hosted by Sportvisserij Nederland (EAA Netherlands). The EAA’s Subgroup Freshwaters , chaired by Øyvind Fjeldseth (Norges Jeger-ogFiskerforbund - EAA Norway), deals with everything related to freshwaters, while the Subgroup Sea chaired by David Mitchell (Angling Trust – EAA UK) works on marine issues. Both groups meet in a Joint Subgroup meeting to discuss issues of relevance to both groups.
The Amsterdam meetings were very productive for the European Anglers Alliance: members agreed upon position papers on
hydropower,
cormorants management and the revision of the EU fisheries control system.These position papers will soon be available on the EAA website and conveyed to European decision-makers. In addition, guidelines on fish welfare were adopted. Also discussed at the meetings: the impact of predation on some vulnerable fish stocks; the impact of climate change as experienced by anglers in their regions; and the next steps after the now finalised fitness check of the EU’s
Water Framework Directive.
Seabass fisheries management was also an important point on the agenda. EAA had invited ‘
FishFriender’, the winner of the bass log book pilot project funded by the European Commission - to give a presentation. The scope of the project was clarified and the possible implications for angling were discussed. EAA and EFTTA hope the pilot project will pave the way for better informed decision making and management of marine recreational fisheries with regard to such fisheries under EU management (bass and others), with more flexibility to the satisfaction of sea anglers (e.g. a possibility to choose a monthly bag limit instead of the daily bag-limit).
Sportvisserij Nederland provided an update on the organisation of the next
World Recreational Fishing Conference which will take place from 28 June until 2 July in Rotterdam. This triannual event is of great importance to the recreational fisheries sector globally, a one of its kind events. It brings together scientists and other recreational fisheries experts and interests from all over the world to present and discuss everything recreational fisheries.
The next Subgroups meetings will take place on 23-24 April in Rome, organised by Alleanza Pescatori Ricreativi (EAA Italy). The General Assembly is scheduled for 9 to 13 September in Hamburg, hosted by Deutscher Angelfischerverband (EAA Germany).