Common Fisheries Policy Archives

Joint NGO feedback to the European Commission on the Common Fisheries Policy’s state of play and orientations for 2023

The current Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Basic Regulation entered into force on 1 January 2014. It contains ambitious objectives and concrete timelines to put the European Union at the forefront of global fisheries management and make European fisheries economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. However, although some progress has been made, in particular in Northeast Atlantic … Read more

Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2023

In October 2022, EU fisheries ministers will agree on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2023. As the deadline to end overfishing by 2020 at the latest as legally prescribed by Article 2(2) of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)1 has passed, all fishing limits must be in line with sustainable exploitation rates. Last year, … Read more

EU nature law could be gamechanger for marine biodiversity, but will be meaningless if fisheries not properly addressed – NGO reaction

Today, the European Commission presented its legislative proposal on nature restoration, a new law with binding targets to restore degraded land and marine ecosystems across the EU. This is a major milestone to tackle the current biodiversity and climate crises and restore a healthy relationship between people and nature. We welcome the long-awaited publication of … Read more

Oceana highlights more work needed to end overfishing in European waters and to take into account ecosystem considerations

Good progress in Atlantic, but slower in Mediterranean Oceana recommends measures for most depleted stocks and forage fish Brussels – Reacting to today’s European Commission (EC) communication on the sustainability of EU fisheries and implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), Oceana welcomes the progress the EC and Member States have made to decrease the … Read more

NGOs urge European Parliament to push for full implementation of Common Fisheries Policy instead of considering reform

Ahead of the European Parliament’s public hearing on the implementation and future perspectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) tomorrow, NGOs are calling on EU institutions and Member States to better follow and enforce the rules of the policy, rather than considering any reform at this stage. Vera Coelho, Senior Director of Advocacy at Oceana … Read more

Feedback to the European Commission on the CFP’s state of play

On behalf of BirdWatch Ireland, ClientEarth, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Ecologistas en Acción – Spain, The Fisheries Secretariat, Fundació ENT, De Nederlandse Elasmobranchen Vereniging, Stichting De Noordzee, Oceana, Our Fish, Sciaena, Seas At Risk, and WWF, we hereby respond to the European Commission’s public consultation on the progress of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) implementation, … Read more

Realising the ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy in the ocean

The ocean is key to tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies Life on Earth depends on the ocean: no matter where you are, you depend on the ocean and its unique and rich biodiversity for the production of oxygen, food, energy, and the enormous amount of heat and carbon it absorbs. Yet, as United Nations … Read more

Common Fisheries Policy: Mission not yet accomplished

Summary Seven years after the last reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) entered into force, the EU, which has exclusive competence in this area, is yet to succeed in fulfilling its objectives. Implementation and enforcement challenges remain, often due to Member States’ inaction, insufficient oversight by the European Commission and industry resistance to change. … Read more

6 out of 10 UK fish are being overfished or are in a “critical” state

UK fisheries audit reveals status of fish stocks setting a baseline for evaluating future UK management decisions Oceana calls for urgent action to end overfishing to avoid the total collapse of cod The UK fisheries audit released today by the largest international advocacy organisation dedicated solely to ocean conservation, Oceana, paints a disturbing picture of … Read more

UK Fisheries Audit

The UK’s decision to leave the EU and to regain control of its waters has considerable implications for the management of North East Atlantic Fisheries. The results derived from the implementation of new UK domestic regulations and international fisheries agreements will have a direct impact on the status of fish stocks and the socio-economic performance … Read more