Report | July 11, 2024

Briefing: How France allocates fishing opportunities to its fishers

France has one of the largest fishing vessels in the European Union, and its fisheries sustain many communities, especially in coastal areas, by providing income, employment, and food. However, biased and opaque allocation of fishing opportunities can lead to inequality in fishing activities, conflicts over access to fisheries, economic hardship for fishers, and negative impacts on fisheries and the marine environment. To prevent such outcomes, Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)1 and French Rural and Maritime Fishing Code2 requires France to use transparent and objective criteria for allocating fishing opportunities, including those of a social, economic, and environmental nature.

This briefing provides an overview of France’s approach to allocating fishing opportunities within the framework of the European Union (EU) CFP and the French Rural and Maritime Fishing Code. It proposes measures to improve transparency and objectivity in resource allocation, aiming to enhance the sustainability and fairness of France’s management practices.

Version in French