Welcome to the latest issue of the Seas At Risk newsletter.
Today the COP21 climate conference in Paris kicked off, and Seas At Risk will be there for the next two weeks, working to highlight the importance of curtailing emissions from shipping and the importance of the oceans in regulating our climate. Seas At Risk has been fighting for the inclusion of shipping in any final climate deal. This effort was bolstered by a recent European Parliament report showing that without binding targets for the shipping sector, there is little hope of keeping warming between 1.5 and 2 degrees.
The other big upcoming development is the publication of the long awaited new Circular Economy package from the European Commission, expected on 4 December. Leaked documents point to the exclusion of a dedicated marine litter reduction target, initially present in the previous withdrawn package. This would greatly undermine the Commission's promise of 'more ambition'. Seas At Risk has written to Commission President Juncker to express the need for such a target if we are to stem the flow of waste from land to sea.
In aquaculture news, Seas At Risk has recently produced its second paper on how to develop a more sustainable European aquaculture sector, this time focused on the issue of feed. The paper is intended to tackle the proliferation of destructive and inefficient feed practices that are currently undermining the claims of sustainability for the growing sector.
It's been a busy two months in fisheries news. Our latest Fisheries Council briefing with the Fisheries Secretariat deals with the 2016 fishing opportunities, which will be discussed next week at the Council on 14-15th December. Seas At Risk was also at the recent meeting of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, reacted to the Baltic fisheries plans and published a position paper on the Data Collection Framework.
We're also very pleased to be welcoming two new member organisations to our network - the Good Fish Foundation and maltese fish4tomorrow, and we have a news roundup from some of our other members too.
We hope you enjoy this edition,
The Seas At Risk team
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In a move supported by Seas At Risk and other environment NGOs Seven of the eight political groups in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee have written to the 28 EU Environment Ministers to insist that shipping and aviation be included in any global climate deal negotiated in Paris this November.
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European aquaculture cannot be considered “sustainable” until the use of poorly managed and/or overexploited marine ingredients in the diets of European farmed fish is replaced by ecologically responsible marine and alternative non-marine ingredients. Seas At Risk’s new policy paper outlines urgent and longer term actions to be taken by the EU on the issue of feed.
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Seas At Risk has sent a letter to the European Commission supporting the inclusion of a marine litter reduction target in the new Circular Economy Package.
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Seas At Risk and the Fisheries Secretariat have published their policy brief for the December Council that will agree on 2016 North Atlantic and North Sea fishing opportunities.
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A number of conservation NGOs have cautiously welcomed a call by major industry association Cosmetics Europe to its 4,000 members to phase out the use of solid microplastic ingredients in wash-off cosmetic and personal care products.
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Seas At Risk welcomes two new fisheries organisations as members
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Seas At Risk is very happy to welcome fish4tomorrow and the Good Fish Foundation to its network, bringing its total number of members to 30.
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Members' news roundup
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A review of the latest news from some of Seas At Risk's member organisations.
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