Oceana opposes reopening the Common Fisheries Policy
Press Release Date: April 15, 2025
Location: Brussels
Contact:
Emily Fairless, Communications Officer | email: efairless@oceana.org | tel.: +32 478 038 490
Rather than losing precious time on a reform, better implementation of the current CFP by EU countries would support jobs, food security, and climate resilience
The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is fit for purpose, says marine NGO Oceana in its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the evaluation of the policy. The CFP has led to significant reductions in overfishing rates in EU waters and to increased profits for the fishing industry. At this time of extensive market and geopolitical turmoil, it is not the moment to create more uncertainties and instability for fishers and coastal communities by re-opening a solid piece of legislation. The current challenges in fisheries management stem from poor implementation by Member States, not from deficiencies in the policy itself.
Vera Coelho, Deputy Vice President at Oceana in Europe, said: “The Common Fisheries Policy is a well-designed framework that aims to ensure abundant fish stocks, the long-term viability of the fishing industry, and food security. If EU countries implement and comply with its requirements, and if the European Commission holds them accountable through legal action, Europe can unlock the policy’s full potential, benefiting the ocean, fishers, and the blue economy.”
Since its last reform in 2013, the CFP has yielded important results, including reductions in overfishing rates across North-East Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, and to the increased economic profitability of the EU fishing sector. Even amid recent crises, such as the COVID pandemic and the sharp rise in fuel prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the fleet remained profitable. Today, the sector’s economic performance is rebounding, confirming the policy’s long-term value.
Trends in the rate of overfishing in Atlantic and Mediterranean waters (left, source: STECF Adhoc 24-01), and economic performance of the EU fishing fleet (excluding Greece), right, source: STECF 24-03 & 24-07 – figures for 2023 and 2024 are based on economic forecasts)
Faced with a difficult geo-political climate, countries should rather focus on properly implementing the existing policy, as the CFP can contribute to a healthy ocean and:
- Strengthen food supply and strategic autonomy – by restoring and maintaining all EU fish populations above healthy levels, which will enable them to reproduce to the maximum. This directly supports domestic food supply in the EU and helps reduce dependence on imports.
- Create more jobs and societal benefits for local communities – the CFP requires countries to allocate fishing quotas based on social, economic, and environmental criteria, not just on past catch history. This approach would prioritise vessels that contribute the most to local jobs and coastal communities, and cause the least damage to the ocean. Proper application of this mostly overlooked provision would benefit small-scale fishers using low-impact gear, sustaining jobs and livelihoods.
- Enhance climate resilience – the CFP provides a framework for fisheries management that requires Member States and the European Commission to take management decisions in accordance with the best available scientific advice and to consider the broader ecosystem. They should better apply these requirements, factoring climate-driven changes in fish population distribution and productivity into scientific assessments and management decisions. This would help strengthen the resilience of fish populations and fish-dependent coastal communities against the impacts of the climate crisis.
Oceana also identified other areas where the CFP needs better implementation, such as ensuring countries effectively protect marine habitats and species from destructive fishing, like bottom trawling, in their Marine Protected Areas. Further, countries should improve consumer information on seafood products, particularly processed ones, improve controls on imported seafood, and investigate European beneficiaries of fishing vessels operating outside the EU, especially those at high risk of engaging in illegal fishing.
Background:
The purpose of the European Commission’s public consultation is to assess how well the CFP is meeting its objectives and to identify possible ways to improve it. The results of the consultation will feed into the European Commission’s evaluation report, which it should publish in the Spring of 2026.
*ENDS*
