2024-04-032023/24:MJU10 · p.3MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Selective fishing gear, bycatch and discards
Selective fishing gear and measures against bycatch and discards
What's at stake: The issue concerns how quickly and effectively unwanted bycatch and wasted fish can be reduced. It affects the fishing industry's working methods and costs for new equipment, as well as the marine environment, where unwanted species otherwise risk dying unnecessarily.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
Parliament decides whether ongoing national and EU efforts are sufficient for developing selective fishing gear and reducing bycatch and discards, or whether parliament should demand further inquiries and measures, such as increased economic incentives for fishers to use selective gear.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee points out that national funding is already allocated for developing selective and gentle fishing gear, that measures for gear development have been announced at EU level, and that the new fisheries control regulation requires tracking systems, electronic catch reporting and cameras and sensors on larger vessels to ensure bycatch is landed. The committee judges that this, together with gear development, meets the motions' demands and therefore opposes the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 6 (SD)
The Sweden Democrats want an inquiry into how to increase incentives for fishers to use selective gear, for example through economic instruments rewarding those who use selective gear, as well as investment in education and information for fishers about the negative consequences of bycatch, since bycatch today often generates extra income for fishers, meaning there is currently insufficient incentive for change.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 6 by SD.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 131–63Ja 117–77
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/92/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/14/4 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/63/0/9 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdagen rejects the motions 2023/24:402 by Beatrice Timgren et al. (SD) demands 7-10, 2023/24:1873 by Emma Nohrén et al. (MP) demand 15 and 2023/24:2629 by Anna-Caren Sätherberg et al. (S) demand 26 in this part.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:402 av Beatrice Timgren m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 7-10, 2023/24:1873 av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 15 och 2023/24:2629 av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S) yrkande 26 i denna del.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdagen said no to approximately 90 proposals regarding fishery policy. The motions were submitted during the general motion period 2023 and deal, among other things, with fishing quotas, fishing gear, Swedish fishery industry, fishery control and recreational fishing. The reason the Riksdagen rejects all the motions is primarily that work is ongoing in the area.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to increase incentives for fishers to use selective gear and conduct an investigation into possibilities to reduce bycatch. (SD) — Reservation 6
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan demands powerful legislation and economic instruments because the market's own incentives do not protect the environment, and makes long-term environmental considerations paramount.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands powerful legislation and economic instruments because the market's own incentives do not protect the environment, and makes long-term environmental considerations paramount. The counter-proposal wants to investigate how incentives for selective tools can be increased through economic instruments and education, which is the same kind of steering. The plan also warns that overuse of nature's resources depletes biological diversity.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver kraftfull lagstiftning och ekonomiska styrmedel eftersom marknadens egna incitament inte skyddar miljön, och gör de långsiktiga miljöhänsynen överordnade. Motförslaget vill utreda hur incitamenten för selektiva redskap kan ökas genom ekonomiska styrmedel och utbildning, vilket är samma slags styrning. Planen varnar också för att överutnyttjande av naturens resurser utarmar den biologiska mångfalden.
- economic instrumentsdecisive»Därför behövs en kraftfull lagstiftning, ekonomiska styrmedel, långsiktig samhällsplanering, klimatinvesteringar« (party programme ↗)“That is why powerful legislation, economic instruments, long-term societal planning, climate investments are needed”
- environmental considerations paramount»de långsiktiga miljöhänsynen måste vara överordnade« (party programme ↗)“the long-term environmental considerations must be paramount”
- stop overuse of nature»Ett ständigt överutnyttjande av naturens resurser leder till kraftig utarmning av den biologiska mångfalden och växthusgasutsläpp.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A constant overuse of nature's resources leads to severe depletion of biological diversity and greenhouse gas emissions.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan points out research investments, legislation and economic instruments as environmental policy's most important tools, which are precisely the instruments the counter-proposal wants to allow to be investigated to make selective equipment profitable.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan points out research investments, legislation and economic instruments as environmental policy's most important tools, which are precisely the instruments the counter-proposal wants to allow to be investigated to make selective equipment profitable. The plan also demands that biological diversity be protected and that environmental impact be minimised. To remove the economic drivers behind bycatch is thereby in the plan's line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar ut forskningssatsningar, lagstiftning och ekonomiska styrmedel som miljöpolitikens viktigaste instrument, vilket är precis de verktyg motförslaget vill låta utreda för att göra selektiva redskap lönsamma. Planen kräver också att den biologiska mångfalden skyddas och att miljöpåverkan minimeras. Att ta bort de ekonomiska drivkrafterna bakom bifångst ligger därmed i planens linje.
- economic instruments in environmental policydecisive»forskningssatsningar, lagstiftning och olika ekonomiska styrmedel är de viktigaste« (party programme ↗)“research investments, legislation and various economic instruments are the most important”
- protect biological diversity»biologiska mångfalden måste skyddas« (party programme ↗)“biological diversity must be protected”
- minimised environmental impact»miljöpåverkan i form av utsläpp och avfallsprodukter ska minimeras« (party programme ↗)“environmental impact in the form of emissions and waste products shall be minimized”
- reoriented fisheries policy»en omläggning av jordbruks- och fiskeripolitiken« (party programme ↗)“a reorientation of agricultural and fisheries policy”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto explicitly promises a transition to gentle fishing methods and an ecosystem-based marine management, and the party programme demands responsible fishing that rebuilds depleted stocks as well as strict requirements on companies that utilize the shared fish resource.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly promises a transition to gentle fishing methods and an ecosystem-based marine management, and the party programme demands responsible fishing that rebuilds depleted stocks as well as strict requirements on companies that utilize the shared fish resource. Investigating incentives and knowledge-raising for selective gear is a direct means for these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar uttryckligen en övergång till skonsamma fiskemetoder och en ekosystembaserad havsförvaltning, och partiprogrammet kräver ett ansvarsfullt fiske som återuppbygger utfiskade bestånd samt hårda krav på de företag som utnyttjar den gemensamma fiskresursen. Att utreda incitament och kunskapshöjning för selektiva redskap är ett direkt medel för dessa åtaganden.
- gentle fishing methodsdecisive»låt ekosystemen i haven sätta gränserna för hur mycket fisk som får fångas, inför en ekosystembaserad havsförvaltning och gå över till skonsamma fiskemetoder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“let the ecosystems in the seas set the limits for how much fish can be caught, introduce ecosystem-based marine management and transition to gentle fishing methods.”
- responsible fishing»ska vara pådrivande inom EU och globala organisationer för ett ansvarsfullt fiske som återuppbygger utfiskade bestånd och inte tar ut mer än« (party programme ↗)“shall be driving within the EU and global organisations for responsible fishing that rebuilds depleted stocks and does not take more than”
- strict requirements on fishing companies»Hårda krav ska ställas på de företag som får utnyttja den gemensamma fiskresursen för kommersiell vinning.« (party programme ↗)“Strict requirements shall be placed on companies that are allowed to utilize the shared fish resource for commercial profit.”
- protection of marine biodiversity»Vi vill se ett starkt skydd av nyckelbiotoper i vatten och av områden som är speciellt viktiga för havets biologiska mångfald eller för många arters fortplantning.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see strong protection of key habitats in water and of areas that are particularly important for marine biodiversity or for many species' reproduction.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme's guiding environmental principle is that it shall always be profitable to be environmentally responsible and unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme's guiding environmental principle is that it shall always be profitable to be environmentally responsible and unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way. An investigation into economic incentives for selective gear is a direct application of that principle to the bycatch problem. The election manifesto's commitment to save the seas and that harmful fishing shall not destroy the marine environment points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammets bärande miljöprincip är att det alltid ska vara lönsamt att vara miljövårdande och olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande. En utredning om ekonomiska incitament för selektiva redskap är en direkt tillämpning av den principen på bifångstproblemet. Valmanifestets åtagande att rädda haven och att skadligt fiske inte ska förstöra havsmiljön pekar åt samma håll.
- economic instruments for environmentdecisive»Det ska alltid vara lönsamt att vara miljövårdande och olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande.« (party programme ↗)“It shall always be profitable to be environmentally responsible and unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way.”
- save the marine environment»Rädda Sveriges sjöar, vattendrag och hav.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Save Sweden's lakes, watercourses and seas.”
- responsible fishing»Skadlig bottentrålning ska inte få förstöra för varken havsmiljön, den småskaliga fiskenäringen eller sportfisket.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Destructive bottom trawling shall not be allowed to harm either the marine environment, small-scale fishing or recreational fishing.”
- biological diversity»Att skydda den biologiska mångfalden är nödvändigt för att ekosystemen ska kunna fortleva.« (party programme ↗)“Protecting biological diversity is necessary for ecosystems to be able to continue.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly establishes that the regulatory framework shall promote the development of fishing methods and fishing gear with high selectivity that prevent undesired bycatch.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly establishes that the regulatory framework shall promote the development of fishing methods and fishing gear with high selectivity that prevent undesired bycatch. To investigate how incentives for such gear can be strengthened, inter alia through economic policy instruments, is precisely the tool the plan advocates in the environmental field. The requirement is also in line with fishing being conducted in a long-term sustainable manner.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår uttryckligen fast att regelverket ska främja utveckling av fiskemetoder och fiskeredskap med stor selektivitet som förhindrar icke önskvärda bifångster. Att utreda hur incitamenten för sådana redskap kan stärkas, bland annat med ekonomiska styrmedel, är precis det verktyg planen förordar på miljöområdet. Kravet ligger också i linje med att fisket ska bedrivas långsiktigt hållbart.
- selective fishing geardecisive»främja utveckling av fiskemetoder och fiskeredskap med stor selektivitet« (party programme ↗)“promote the development of fishing methods and fishing gear with high selectivity”
- long-term sustainable fishing»Fisket måste bedrivas på ett långsiktigt hållbart sätt« (party programme ↗)“Fishing must be conducted in a long-term sustainable way”
- economic policy instruments»Generella och teknikneutrala ekonomiska styrmedel« (party programme ↗)“General and technology-neutral economic policy instruments”
- the polluter pays»Det är den som förorenar – ingen annan – som ska betala.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is the one who pollutes – nobody else – who shall pay.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme establishes that excessive fishing does not benefit anyone and that stewardship requires that natural values not be consumed irresponsibly.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that excessive fishing does not benefit anyone and that stewardship requires that natural values not be consumed irresponsibly. The plan also prescribes economic instruments to create incentives to act environmentally responsibly, which is exactly what the counter-proposal wishes to investigate for selective gear. The goal of a long-term viable fishing industry points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att ett alltför omfattande fiskeuttag inte gynnar någon och att förvaltarskapet kräver att naturvärden inte förbrukas ansvarslöst. Planen anvisar dessutom ekonomiska styrmedel för att skapa motiv att agera miljövänligt, vilket är precis det motförslaget vill utreda för selektiva redskap. Målet om en långsiktigt livskraftig fiskerinäring pekar åt samma håll.
- sustainable fishingdecisive»Ett alltför omfattande fiskeuttag gynnar ingen« (party programme ↗)“Excessive fishing benefits no one”
- economic instruments for environmental benefit»att skapa ekonomiska motiv att agera miljövänligt för såväl konsumenter som producenter.« (party programme ↗)“to create economic incentives to act environmentally responsibly for both consumers and producers.”
- viable fishing industry»Den svenska fiskerinäringen måste ges förutsättningar att även i framtiden vara livskraftig.« (party programme ↗)“The Swedish fishing industry must be given conditions to be viable also in the future.”
- stewardship of natural resources»att vi förvaltar och inte på ett ansvarslöst sätt förbrukar ändliga resurser och naturvärden.« (party programme ↗)“that we manage and do not irresponsibly consume finite resources and natural values.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan is explicitly based on political instruments in combination with technical development being able to provide a cleaner living environment, and it wants to break the development with declining fish stocks.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is explicitly based on political instruments in combination with technical development being able to provide a cleaner living environment, and it wants to break the development with declining fish stocks. The counter-proposal's requirement for an investigation into economic instruments and technical solutions that increase the use of selective gear is in line with that combination. The plan shows the same line when it wants to reduce agriculture's environmental impact through technical development rather than bans.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger uttryckligen på att politiska styrmedel i kombination med teknisk utveckling kan ge en renare livsmiljö, och den vill bryta utvecklingen med minskade fiskbestånd. Motförslagets krav på en utredning om ekonomiska styrmedel och tekniska lösningar som ökar användningen av selektiva redskap ligger i linje med den kombinationen. Planen visar samma linje när den vill minska jordbrukets miljöpåverkan genom teknikutveckling snarare än förbud.
- instruments plus technical developmentdecisive(2022 manifesto)
- break the decline in stocks»Fiskerinäringen har drabbats hårt av minskade bestånd på senare år inte minst på grund av det kustnära trålfisket – den utvecklingen måste brytas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The fishing industry has been hard hit by declining stocks in recent years not least because of coastal trawling – that development must be broken.”
- technical support reduces environmental impact»Minska jordbrukets miljöpåverkan genom stöd till teknikutveckling och innovationer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce agriculture's environmental impact through support for technical development and innovations”
- protection of herring stocks»Stävja minskningen av sill-/strömmingsbestånden i Östersjön genom att flytta gränsen för trålfiske från fyra till tolv nautiska mil« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Curb the decline in herring/sprat stocks in the Baltic Sea by moving the limit for trawling from four to twelve nautical miles”
flags: citat_ej_verifierat
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan states that voluntary participation under responsibility, supported by competent advice, works best to create environmental values, and that new technology should be used in nature management with a view to most environmental benefit per pound.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that voluntary participation under responsibility, supported by competent advice, works best to create environmental values, and that new technology should be used in nature management with a view to most environmental benefit per pound. The counter-proposal's demand for an investigation into increased incentives, technical solutions and education and information to get fishers to use selective gear is exactly that approach. The plan also prioritizes marine environment over excessively intensive fishing.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att frivillighet under ansvar, stöttad av kompetent rådgivning, fungerar bäst för att skapa miljövärden, och att ny teknik ska användas i naturvården med sikte på mest miljö per krona. Motförslagets krav på en utredning om ökade incitament, tekniska lösningar samt utbildning och information för att få fiskare att använda selektiva redskap är exakt den ansatsen. Planen prioriterar dessutom havsmiljön framför ett alltför intensivt fiske.
- voluntary participation and advicedecisive»Erfarenheten visar att frivillighet under ansvar fungerar bäst för att skapa miljövärden, stöttat med kompetent och hjälpande rådgivning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Experience shows that voluntary participation under responsibility works best to create environmental values, supported by competent and helpful advice.”
- most environmental benefit per pound»Sträva efter miljöeffektivitet och hitta de åtgärder som ger mest miljö per krona« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strive for environmental efficiency and find the measures that give most environmental benefit per pound”
- new technique in nature management»Använda nya tekniker i naturvården« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Use new techniques in nature management”
- marine environment before intensive fishing»Vår havs- och vattenmiljö måste prioriteras tydligare framför ett allt för intensivt fiske och omfattande vindkraftsutbyggnad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our marine and aquatic environment must be prioritized more clearly over excessively intensive fishing and extensive wind power expansion.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:MJU10)
- Committee report full text (HB01MJU10)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1094 — Djur inom livsmedelsindustrin av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1101 — Fiskbestånden i Östersjön av John E Weinerhall (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1139 — Det industriella trålfisket i Östersjön av Kjell Jansson och Fredrik Ahlstedt (båda M)
- Motion 2023/24:1264 — Möjliggörande av stöd från EU till miljömotorer i fiskebåtar av Roland Utbult (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1308 — Flytt av trålgränsen av Tomas Eneroth och Hanna Westerén (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1403 — Kvotfiske av den blåfenade tonfisken av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1459 — En levande och välmående skärgård av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1496 — Stärkt småskaligt och hållbart fiske av Linnéa Wickman m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:166 — Bevarandet av ålfiske av Björn Söder m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1873 — För havets och människans framtid av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1920 — Ett system med fisketillsyningspersoner även längs med kusterna av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1924 — Förbud mot bottentrålning för att skapa förutsättningar för friska och levande hav av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1955 — Ekosystembaserad havsförvaltning av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2209 — Levande fiske i Skåne av Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2479 — Livskraftiga gröna och blå näringar av Daniel Bäckström m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2487 — Förbättring av förhållandena för det kustnära fisket av Catarina Deremar och Anne-Li Sjölund (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:253 — Långsiktigt hållbart fiske av strömming av Peder Björk och Anna-Belle Strömberg (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2536 — Satsning på Stockholms skärgård av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2540 — Bevarande av ålfisket som ett nationellt kulturarv av Lars Johnsson m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2628 — Utgiftsområde 23 Areella näringar, landsbygd och livsmedel av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament