Rebuilding Western Mediterranean Fisheries Archives

Mediterranean Fishing Vessels Required to Obtain Permanent Identification Numbers to Increase Transparency

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean agreed to new transparency measures for all fishing vessels measuring 20 meters (~65 feet) or more in length, following campaigning by Oceana and our allies. Specifically, vessels will be required to have International Maritime Organization (IMO) numbers. An IMO number is a permanent and unique identifier that stays with a vessel throughout its lifespan, even if its name, … Read more

Environmental organisations urge the Commission to oppose rollover of Mediterranean fishing limits for 2026

Environmental organisations ClientEarth, MedReact, and Oceana are urging the Commission to legally oppose the Council Regulation published today – which rolls over last year’s fishing limits in the Western Mediterranean for 2026. The Regulation is based on the political compromise reached by fisheries ministers last December and significantly deviates from the European Commission’s proposal, which was grounded in scientific advice and designed to keep fish stock recovery on track under the multiannual plan for demersal stocks … Read more

EU ministers stick to status quo in the Western Mediterranean and fail to end overfishing

EU ministers have reached a political agreement on fishing opportunities for 2026 which provides apparent stability to the Western Mediterranean fishing fleet, but fails to fully address the underlying reason for the economic woes of the sector: fish populations that remain under significant pressure after decades of overfishing. In the Western Mediterranean, 55% of the … Read more

Most western Mediterranean trawlers are barely profitable due to overfishing, new report reveals

Oceana calls on France, Spain and Italy to reduce overcapacity, rebuild fish populations, and redirect funding towards a more selective fleet Brussels – A report published today reveals that too many fishing boats are chasing already overfished populations in the western Mediterranean, leaving many kinds of bottom trawlers unprofitable or only marginally viable, despite continued … Read more

The economic impact of the Western Mediterranean multiannual plan

The Western Mediterranean Multiannual Plan (West Med MAP), adopted in 2019, was designed to ensure the sustainable exploitation of demersal fish stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea by progressively achieving fishing mortality levels consistent with maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2025. Encompassing the Mediterranean waters of France, Italy, and Spain, the plan addresses six key … Read more

Hooked on hake: Exposing the black market threatening Mediterranean marine life

A brief investigative report on the prohibited sale of juvenile hake in the Western Mediterranean reveals the existence of illicit trade. A consumer survey in Italy shows public support for enforcement regulation. European hake (Merluccius merluccius) is the most overexploited demersal1 species in the Western Mediterranean.2 In spite of regulatory frameworks designed to ensure the … Read more

Report uncovers extensive sale of juvenile hake in Italian ports, flouting EU rules

Evidence points towards illicit trade Italian consumers support stronger enforcement of rules, survey reveals Once considered a staple of light Italian cuisine, hake is now in deep trouble in the Mediterranean. A new report out today by Oceana, Sea Shepherd, and consumer organisations Altroconsumo and OCU, reveals extensive sales of juvenile hake in Italian ports, … Read more

The true costs of overfishing in the Western Mediterranean

In the Western Mediterranean, overfishing remains a major issue, Oceana estimates that 60% of fish populations under the Western Mediterranean multiannual plan (West Med MAP) are subject to overfishing. France, Italy, and Spain are failing to sustainably manage valuable species such as hake, red mullet, and Norway lobster, threatening fish populations and putting the fishing … Read more

Fishing opportunities for 2025: progress in the Mediterranean amid uncertainty

Brussels – Today, EU fisheries ministers have set fishing opportunities for stocks managed exclusively by the EU for 2025, in the Northeast Atlantic and in the Mediterranean Sea. Oceana values the progress made in the western Mediterranean, where France, Spain and Italy have taken decisions to reduce fishing pressure, including adopting remedial measures to recover … Read more

Rebuilding western Mediterranean fisheries: status and policy recommendations for 2025

The western Mediterranean multiannual plan (West Med MAP), introduced in 2019, is the European Union’s primary framework for the conservation and sustainable management of demersal stocks in the Western Mediterranean Sea. It covers waters of France, Italy, and Spain and focuses on six key species: blue and red shrimp, deepwater rose shrimp, giant red shrimp, … Read more