UNOC3: Some positive steps, but EU still falling far short of truly protecting its marine areas from destructive fishing
Press Release Date: June 13, 2025
Location: Nice
Contact:
Irene Campmany, Emily Fairless | email: icampmany@oceana.org, efairless@oceana.org | tel.: +34 682 622 245, +32 478 038 490
Nice, 13 June 2025 – As the third UN Ocean Conference concludes in Nice, Oceana acknowledges positive commitments by countries including Portugal and Denmark to protect their marine protected areas from destructive fishing, such as bottom trawling. Oceana however deplores the mere token gestures announced by France – the host of the conference – and highlights that the European Union still has a long way to go to match its proclaimed status of global ocean leader.
Vera Coelho, Deputy Vice President of Oceana in Europe stated: “Countries must accelerate their action if we are to reach the global target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 – a mere five years away. At this United Nations Ocean Conference, some countries, such as Portugal or Denmark, demonstrated their leadership by designating vast areas of the ocean or banning bottom trawling in their protected areas. The European Union, one of the main champions of the ‘30×30’ target, is however woefully lagging behind in ensuring that marine protected areas are truly ‘protected’, and that ocean sanctuaries are free from destructive human activities. It is a missed opportunity for the EU to step-up and show leadership on the international stage.”
The EU as a whole must seize the momentum resulting from UNOC, and ensure that all European marine protected areas are free from destructive fishing. This is the way forward to ensure a level playing field among fishers, protect and restore marine species and habitats, rebuild abundant fish stocks, and benefit fishers and coastal communities.
“In addition, Oceana welcomes the growing number of countries advocating for a moratorium on deep sea mining until precautionary rules are in place to ensure that it can be done safely and responsibly. It is positive to see that the EU and many Member States are taking a leading role on this issue, including countries such as Spain, France and Portugal, and that the number of countries supporting it is growing. This precautionary approach to human activities is what is required by international law and also to ensure that we preserve and rebuild healthy oceans for future generations”, added Coelho.
Background:
Momentum for marine protection is building, with Portugal announcing that 15% of the waters around the Azores islands will be fully protected, and that a significant part of the newly designated 100,000 km2 area around the Gorringe seamount will also be fully protected once its management plan is adopted. We now need other EU countries to follow suit and fully protect their most precious marine species and habitats.
At UNOC, France has finally acknowledged that destructive practices such as bottom trawling are incompatible with marine protection – but has woefully fallen short of taking meaningful action in the areas where bottom trawling occurs.
Spain has announced that it will ban its fishing vessels from fishing around the Cabliers bank seamount in the Alboran Sea, will designate over 25% of its waters as protected areas by the end of this year, and will adopt at least 40 management plans for its protected areas by next year. Oceana emphasises that these need to include areas of strict protection, as well as a full ban on bottom trawling in the entire protected area – something the UK announced it will do in almost all English MPAs.
Denmark has also proposed a law that will ban bottom trawling in 17,000 km2 of its protected areas. Further, it has confirmed that it will continue designating strictly protected areas, aiming to reach 8% by 2028 and 10% by 2030.
Having researched and campaigned for the protection of many of these areas in these European countries, Oceana celebrates this progress.
On deep sea mining, four additional countries (Cyprus, Slovenia, Latvia and the Marshall Islands) have joined the coalition of nations calling for a moratorium, precautionary pause, or ban on deep-sea mining, bringing the total number to 37.
