In the framework of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Member of European Parliament Dubravka Šuica participated in the debate on the prohibition of fishing by hovering (floating) nets.

 
Dubravka Šuica, stressing that she comes from the Adriatic, believes that all of us should make efforts to protect small fishermen and to resolve this problem we should take into account regional specificities as well as the conservation of ecosystems. This is especially important in the preservation of socio-economic circumstances of fishing areas, in order to preserve traditional small-scale fishing. It is known that small fishermen do not have a negative impact on the environment, rather they are just trying to survive. She noted that, since this is a very complex subject, a compromised solution should be reached so that the environmental segment is not left out. Referring to the European Commission, she said that it is easiest to prohibit and that for her colleagues on the Committee, it is easiest to reject the proposal. However, neither one nor the other leads to a solution and that is why we need scientific research, public debate and impact assessment in order to thoroughly cover all relevant aspects of the issue. Information should be collected from all Member States and only fishing gear that destroys the environment should be prohibited.