The European Commission has released a list of fishing vessels that have received EU fisheries subsidies between 2000 and the beginning of 2007, following an access to information request by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This is the first time that the EC has identified by name vessels that are recipients.

The 23, 828 payments amounted to some € 1.2 billion between 2000 and the beginning of 2007. Overall EU fisheries subsidies during the period are thought to be considerably higher than the € 1.2 billion figure, however, and early analysis of the data indicates that it may contain some flaws.

Spanish vessels identified in the EC list received the largest amount (almost € 530 million), followed by Italy (€ 224 million) and Greece (€ 128 million).

EU fishers received € 179 million Euros for modernizing existing vessels, and € 393 million for constructing new vessels. Both subsidies are controversial because they promote fishing efforts.

The top ten vessels received some € 30 million. The top two vessels were Spanish boats Albatun Dos and Albatun Tres; each receiving € 4, 318, 440 for their construction.

Notably, a number of subsidy recipients identified in the EC list have been cited with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Infractions included using illegal nets, misreporting catches in logbooks, and falsifying sales records. However, a full accounting of subsidy recipients who have been cited with IUU fishing is currently impossible, given that there is no public record of vessels that have been issued citations.
 
"It is outrageous that taxpayers' money has financed criminals who destroy the marine environment and undermine legal fishing activities," said Markus Knigge, European Marine Programme Officer with the WWF.

In a paper released in June 2007, the WWF called on the EC to establish a public database of EU vessels authorized to fish within and outside EU waters, which would include a history of any violations to fisheries regulations. The WWF has also recommended a more rigorous penalty regime, in which vessels cited with IUU fishing would be barred from receiving fishing subsidies, and must return any subsidies already received.

The EC is expected to release suggestions for new regulations to combat IUU fishing later this month.
 
As the largest market and importer of fisheries products, EU fisheries subsidies and regulations have received special attention from concerned interest groups. Some 80% of the world's fish stocks have been pushed to their biological limits. Subsidies that promote over fishing have been blamed for contributing to the problem.
 
People interested in obtaining the dataset which lists vessels that have received EU subsidies between 2000 and 2006 should contact Markus Knigge, European Marine Programme Officer, at mknigge@wwfepo.org200