The EU fishing fleet receives a tax break of between €759 million and €1.5 billion from fuel tax subsidies each year, as well as producing nearly 7.3 million tons of CO2 just from burning fuel, according to a report published today by the Our Fish campaign.

ClientEarth lawyer Flaminia Tacconi said: “This revision risks maintaining the status quo in sectors like fisheries, with only very low taxation for fishing vessel fuel in EU waters and no taxation at all on fuel for vessels operating beyond EU waters. The fishing industry, and in particular the large-scale vessels that are so destructive for the ocean, must be part of the global effort to combat climate change – starting with bearing the true cost of its fuel.”

Why does the fishing industry get a free pass when everyone else has to pay the true price of carbon pollution and environmental destruction?

"By calling for the elimination of all harmful subsidies, the European Parliament is taking the lead in EU’s fight against climate change", said Flaminia Tacconi, fisheries lawyer at ClientEarth.