Plans to restore fish stocks and return profitability to fishing communities were backed by an overwhelming majority of MEPs today in an historic vote in Strasbourg.

The package includes measures such as banning discards within three years, and the current practice of dumping dead fish back in the sea. Discards have been a consequence of current common fisheries policy (CFP) rules restricting the size of landed catches under a complex system of quotas.

Today’s deal also offers more control over managing the CFP to regional fishing organisations.

There are hopes that the changes can become law by next year, after more talks with the 27 EU governments.

In the past EU ministers have been accused of ignoring the science about the need for reduced fishing to deliver long-term stock recovery. EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki – who once admitted the CFP was “broken” – congratulated parliament on the voting 502-137, issuing this statement this afternoon:

“I am especially pleased with the parliament’s support for a policy that is based on exploiting fisheries resources sustainably and a policy that introduces a discard ban with clear dates to put an end to wasteful practices that we can no longer afford.”

Overfishing estimates

Fish discards are believed to make up a quarter of all EU catches, and MEPs want to ensure that fishing vessels land all catches. The European Commission estimates that 80 per cent of Mediterranean stocks and 47 per cent of Atlantic stocks are overfished.

But a fishing alliance, Europeche, says the reforms are too sudden and too radical.

I am especially pleased with the parliament’s support for a policy based on exploiting fisheries resources sustainably. Maria Damanaki, EU fisheries commissioner

Today’s vote will now trigger three-way final negotiations between the European Commission, MEPs and EU fisheries ministers before a final agreement is made. But the fact that the European parliament now has “co-decision” powers over fishing policy means it has more clout for those demanding major changes.

As the vote went through, CFP reform campaigners outside the European parliament building were still calling for clear measures to end the practice of “discards” – dumping surplus fish back into the sea to avoid breaching quotas.

‘Good day for the environment’

Ian Campbell of Ocean2012, a coalition more than 170 fishing organisations, said: “This is a good day for the environment. We now expect EU fisheries ministers to show flexibility in their position, for the sake of our fish stocks and fisheries dependent communities.”

Helen McLachlan, fisheries programme manager at WWF-UK, said: “This is a groundbreaking result for the future of fisheries across Europe and beyond. This vote reflects the views of the hundreds of thousands of members of the public, industry and fishermen themselves who campaigned to ensure the long-term stability of fish stocks.

This vote reflects the views of hundreds of thousands of members of the public, industry and fisherman themselves. Helen McLachlan, WWF-UK

“It is now up to fisheries ministers to show the same determination and commitment to deliver the healthy fisheries and marine environment that Europe needs and deserves. This includes better management, an end to discards and a return to healthy stock levels while minimising the impact on the marine environment.”

Ahead of the vote, the UK-based Fish Fight Campaign, led by the food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, co-ordinated its supporters to send emails to MEPs in all the official languages of the EU, with more than 120,000 sent within 24 hours.