Responsible Fisheries 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

Cabliers Bank – a deep-sea jewel one step closer to protection

Until recently, the Cabliers Bank was a hidden jewel in the Mediterranean Sea. This underwater biodiversity treasure has survived throughout centuries, in the Alboran Sea, the westernmost part of the Mediterranean. Here, Mediterranean and Atlantic waters interact, and are very rich in nutrients. This part of the Mediterranean Sea is also one of the busiest … 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

European environmental organisations call for a ban on destructive fishing practices in Marine Protected Areas

Just after the UK’s announcement to protect two areas of English waters by banning damaging fishing activities such as bottom trawling, it will be the European Parliament’s turn to show how ambitious it truly is in protecting EU waters. During the first week of May in Strasbourg, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will have … 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

UK Government set to license over 1,000 EU and UK fishing vessels permitting continued bottom trawling in UK Marine Protected Areas in 2022

Conservation charity Oceana says at the current rate of progress, it will take the Government until 2050 to ban the highly destructive fishing method The UK Government is about to issue over 1,000 fishing licenses for EU and UK fishing vessels for 2022, permitting them to bottom trawl in UK Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This is in … Read more

New Technology to Help Tackle Illegal Fishing by Alerting Insurers to Risk

Global Fishing Watch, Trygg Mat Tracking, Oceana, Ocean Unite and the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance are partnering to create a risk assessment tool to help insurers identify vessels at risk of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing Data-powered tool will help prevent vessels at high risk of involvement in IUU fishing operations from accessing … Read more

Oceana applauds new steps forward on transparency for Mediterranean fisheries

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean has improved its Authorised Vessel List, helping to identify those that fish illegallyThe expanded list still falls short on providing important information such as the vessel owner, previous flag and greater detail relating to the types of fishing licenses granted Oceana welcomes the adoption by the General Fisheries … Read more

AGRIFISH: Some Baltic fish still in crisis as the EU starts to consider ecosystem impacts

Following the EU AGRIFISH Council press conference today, NGOs expressed disappointment that Member State fisheries ministers again haggled all night to raise Baltic fishing limits for 2022 above the European Commission’s proposal and against the clear scientific advice aimed at saving Baltic fish populations. However, NGOs also acknowledge that some progress was made towards considering … Read more

Recommendations to the EU on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2022

NGO signatories of this document wish to present our recommendations on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2022. Our intent is to assist the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the Member States in making decisions on fishing opportunities that finally end overfishing, significantly contribute to restoring and/or maintaining all fish stocks above … Read more