Policy positions
Policy position 1
We need to ensure that fishing and aquaculture are environmentally, economically and socially
sustainable and that they provide a source of healthy food for citizens. Although it is important to
maximize catches, there must be limits and control in order to give priority to habitat protection.
We need to reduce catches in order to make sure that fishing practices do not affect the
reproduction of fish populations.
Policy position 2
Even if geographically constrained, less developed countries along the Mediterranean coast
should claim their EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zones within 200 NM from the coast of a nation). By
doing this they would have direct control on the fish stocks management in their waters, it would
also hinder more developed countries to create social, economic and environmental problems by
exploiting shared fish stocks.
Policy position 3
The commercial fishing sector and the fishing industry behind it must be financially sustained by
the state. The national fishing fleet must receive the right amount of subsidies in order to stay at
pace with technological innovation, sustain the national economic growth and the fish industry.
Moreover, the government must guarantee the competitiveness of the national resources in
foreign markets.
Policy position 4
The solution for the production of marine proteins is aquaculture that should be enhanced and
supported by the governments. In this way the market will be completely independent by fisheries,
thus removing also unsustainable practices and assuring better traceability and control of all the
phases of the production.
Policy position 5
We need to protect our resources - which are already overfished due to the high fishing effort and low management measures implemented in the past. Moreover, if we don’t protect fishing grounds from fleets using unsustainable technologies and poor standards of work, we will see our seas emptier and our markets invaded by low-price fish products.