On Tuesday 7 January, the European Commission published a study on the possible future of the European fishing industry towards 2050, as part of the ‘Fishers of the Future’ initiative.
Four scenarios are presented, with varying degrees of pessimism: thriving responsibly (the EU fishing industry has adapted well to challenges, high demand for EU-caught fish), chasing declining stocks (climate change, declining stocks, high demand for EU-caught fish), contested markets (moderate climate change, low demand for EU-caught fish), and scarcity and survival (scarce fish stocks, low demand for EU-caught fish).
In 2024, Tetra Tech and its partners, a consortium commissioned by the European Commission, undertook a consultation process with EU fishers, their representatives on EU advisory councils and social partners to identify potential scenarios for the fisheries sector towards 2050 (see EUROPE 13343/26).
The study’s conclusions and the discussions on the subject will feed into the reflections planned for 2025 on the creation of a European Oceans Pact and on the evaluation of the common fisheries policy (CFP) regulation.
Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, said that the findings of ‘Fishers of the Future’ “will help us address our biggest challenge: how to ensure long-term competitiveness and sustainability for the fishing sector”. The study will be discussed at a conference in Brussels on Tuesday 14 January.
Link to the study: https://aeur.eu/f/ey3 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)