Washington Post
6 February, 2013
The European Union parliament on Wednesday pushed for a drastic reform of fishing policy in a landmark vote seeking to end decades of overfishing that have decimated many of the stocks in Atlantic and Mediterranean EU waters.
Under the parliament’s plan, there would also be a legally binding obligation to end overfishing and rebuild stocks, stop aid to member states that flout the rules and make catch reporting requirements much tougher. Parliament and EU Fisheries Commissioner Damanaki will now negotiate these issues directly with EU member states over the coming months, hoping to draw fishing nations like Spain and France into the new system.