EU proposal does not ensure ambitious control system to tackle illegal fishing

The European Commission today published a revision of the European fisheries Control Regulation, which aims to ensure compliance with rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and a system of monitoring, inspection and enforcement for fishing operations in EU waters and activities of the EU fleet globally. The Commission’s proposal includes measures that aim to … Read more

Oceana: The most productive sea in Europe traded away today by EU Parliament

The European Parliament today adopted in its final vote the North Sea Multi-Annual Plan (NSMAP). The plan covers nearly one-third of all fish catches in EU waters, and includes demersal species, such as: cod, haddock, whiting, sole, plaice and Norway lobster. According to Oceana, the final deal is not acceptable, as it does not fully implement … Read more

Oceana: EU is failing to bring down high overfishing levels

Brussels – The European Commission has today released its annual communication on the state of fish stocks and the progress in achieving the commitments of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Oceana has continuously expressed concerns regarding the lack of decisive political action during recent years to stop overfishing in European waters, and has called on … Read more

Fishing opportunities recommendations. North-East Atlantic stocks 2017

According to the information reflected in the European Commission communication and an independent scientific study commissioned by Oceana, fishing mortality rates in the NE Atlantic are still clearly above the committed levels required to meet sustainable objectives. This in turn is threatening the status of the stocks and leading to the under-exploitation of fish resources. … Read more

Towards the recovery of European Fisheries

To get the full picture of European fi sheries, Oceana has commissioned the most comprehensive scientifi c study1 ever made on the status of European fi sh stocks and their potential productivity if sustainably managed. The fi ndings of this independent study confi rm that only a minority of European stocks can be considered as … Read more

22,000 EU vessels fishing outside EU waters highlights need for greater transparency

As WhoFishesFar.org discloses vessels authorised to fish in non-EU waters since 2008, a lack of official data on those operating in Africa under private agreements raises alarm bells. The recently-updated WhoFishesFar.org website has today revealed that 22,085 EU vessels have operated in non-EU waters since 2008. The list, however, falls short on European vessels operating … Read more

Common Fisheries Policy

The previous CFP was adopted in 2002. It was at the time of a major step towards a better management of marine resources, as it established conservation as one of its objectives, but it failed to put a stop to the overexploitation of European fishing grounds. For years, Oceana in Europe worked towards reforming the … Read more