Mediterranean inhabitants could bid farewell to beloved fish dishes if countries don’t curb overfishing
Press Release Date: July 30, 2024
Location: Brussels
Contact:
Emily Fairless | email: efairless@oceana.org | tel.: +32 478 038 490
France, Spain and Italy must urgently recover hake from near commercial collapse and rebuild Norway lobster populations
As Mediterranean inhabitants sit down to enjoy their favorite summer fish dishes, Oceana is reacting to a European Commission report by calling for more action to end overfishing and recover populations of European hake and Norway lobster. Oceana stresses to France, Italy and Spain the urgency of preventing the disappearance of these fish and others from our menus by building on the progress achieved by the Western Mediterranean multi-annual plan.
Despite progress by countries to recover fish populations, particularly red mullet in the Gulf of Lion, 57% of populations in the Western Mediterranean are still overfished, according to findings by Oceana. Indeed, some populations of blue and red shrimp, deep-water rose shrimp, and giant red shrimp in this sea basin are in a poor state. If countries don’t stop overfishing them, Oceana estimates they could reach such critically low levels that it wouldn’t make sense to commercially fish them any longer. This is already happening with European hake and Norway lobster in Northern Spain, which have become so overexploited in these waters that they may soon be no longer profitable.
Javier Lopez, Campaign Director for sustainable fisheries at Oceana in Europe, said: “The European Commission’s determination to get countries to continue implementing the Western Mediterranean multi-annual plan brings a ray of hope for overexploited species in these waters. France, Italy and Spain must set fishing opportunities for next year at levels that will ensure these species’ recovery, with knock-on benefits for marine ecosystems and the future of fisheries.”
Starting in 2025, the sustainable exploitation of fish populations will become a must. More precisely, January 1 marks the deadline set by the plan for France, Spain and Italy to ensure fishing mortality rates are within sustainable ranges, compatible with the Maximum Sustainable Yield. To achieve this for the six demersal species (which live on or near the sea bottom) included in the plan, Oceana urges countries to:
- Allocate fishing days for trawlers at scientifically advised levels
- Improve gear selectivity, particularly to reduce catches of juvenile species such as European hake
- Close areas to bottom trawling to protect essential fish habitats – crucial grounds for spawning, nursery and feeding
- Adopt remedial measures for any populations in a critical state to recover them to healthy levels.
The Commission is obliged to report now to the European Parliament and the Council to assess the achievement of the plan’s objectives five years after its entry into force. It will use the results of this communication to put forward a proposal to Member States mid-September on the setting of fishing opportunities in the Mediterranean for next year.
Learn more: Rebuilding western Mediterranean fisheries: has the western Mediterranean multiannual plan delivered?
