European Union: average consumer of Mediterranean crustaceans eats about 11,000 pieces of plastic

In a report adopted by the EP with 646 votes, with three votes against and 39 abstentions, MEPs stress that marine waste, especially micro- and nanoplastics, "are a serious threat to many species of marine animals", as well as to fishermen and consumers.

"The average consumer of crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crabs, lobsters) in the Mediterranean consumes an average of 11,000 plastic drobs per year", the document stresses. It is added that the impact of marine waste on fisheries results in losses corresponding to 1–5% of the revenues of this sector.

According to the Joint Research Centre, which is the European Commission's internal scientific department, fisheries and aquaculture waste accounts for 27% of marine waste. The European Parliament therefore calls on the Union to accelerate the development of the circular economy in this sector by phasing out packages from foamed polystyrene (styrofoam) and improving the collection and recycling of marine waste. Euro MPs also point out that research into reducing the "environmental footprint" of fishing gear is crucial.

Only 1.5% of fishing gear is currently recycled in the EU, and some of the gears that have been abandoned, lost or discarded at sea are "active for months or even years". Parliament warns in the report that these so-called phantom networks "take out, injure and kill without exception many species, including already threatened or critically threatened". To address this problem, Euro MPs are demanding that the European Commission and the Member States adopt the United Nations voluntary guidelines for the labelling of fishing gear.

The European Parliament also calls for an EU action plan to significantly reduce the use of plastics and address pollution of rivers, watercourses and shorelines, stressing that a large proportion of marine waste comes from land. Euro MPs also call for further research into the impact of marine waste and micro- and nanoplastic on fish stocks.

The EP rapporteur, French Euro MP Catherine Chabaud (Renew), emphasises that marine waste is a comprehensive problem that needs to be addressed in its entirety.

‘The fight with sea debris does not start at sea, but must include higher levels, covering the entire life cycle of the product. Every piece of trash that goes to the sea is a product that fell out of circulation in the circular economy. To combat marine pollution, we must continue to promote positive business models and include new sectors, such as fisheries and aquaculture, in these global efforts. There is no sustainable fishing without a healthy ocean," says Chabaud.

The EP shows that only 1% of plastic in the ocean floats on the surface, while most of it goes to the sea depths. Meanwhile, only 66,000 garbage containers containing plastic waste are thrown into the Mediterranean each year.

Source: PAP