On Wednesday 26 November in Strasbourg, a large number of MEPs voiced their concerns about the future of Europe’s fishing industry, which is facing a serious crisis that is undermining fishers’ incomes.
During a debate on fishing opportunities for 2026, prior to the decisions of the European Fisheries Ministers on 11 and 12 December, members of the European Parliament raised a number of issues.
Baltic Sea. Many MEPs, including Emma Wiesner (Renew Europe, Swedish), deplored the poor state of stocks in this area. Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque, speaking on behalf of the European Commission, admitted that the situation in the Baltic Sea was “alarming” and that most fish stocks were in a “worrying” state.
“This is why the Commission still believes that its initial proposal would have been more beneficial for restoring stocks”, she said, referring to the EU Council’s decisions, which eased the restrictions initially proposed.
“Despite warnings, EU fisheries ministers have once again chosen to increase the herring quota in the central Baltic for next year” said Sweden’s Isabella Lövin, speaking on behalf of the Greens/EFA group.
Mediterranean. Maria Luís Albuquerque said she had heard calls in the Chamber for a review of the multi-annual management plan for stocks in the western Mediterranean. “Although the Commission does not rule out the possibility of amending the plan in the future, an in-depth assessment and impact analysis of the various possible policy scenarios will have to be carried out first”, she stressed. In the meantime, the Commission will use all the possible flexibilities offered by the current legislation to ensure that “our fishermen can continue to fish and to reward their efforts by strengthening the current compensation mechanism as much as possible”. In particular, it allows additional fishing days to be granted under certain conditions (see EUROPE 13760/18).
“Many fleets are now faced with the prospect of just six weeks’ activity a year, a level that no sector can sustain. The Commissioner’s intention to grant more days at sea next year is positive, but we now need concrete decisions”, said Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spanish) in particular. Isabelle Le Callennec said that “when fishermen have made efforts to adapt, as they did recently in the Mediterranean, we have to agree to stabilise the rules”.
Third countries. Many MEPs, including Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR, Dutch), have called on the Commission to crack down on Norway, which is accused of unsustainable mackerel fishing in the north-east Atlantic, and to use all the European tools at its disposal, in particular the provisions of the recently amended regulation on unsustainable fishing by third countries.
Commissioner Costas Kadis “will closely monitor the outcome of the ongoing discussions and will examine them in the light of developments and in compliance with international law”, the Commission representative assured. In the meantime, Mr Kadis has begun talks “to try to reach a suitable compromise solution while preserving our legitimate interests”, concluded Ms Albuquerque. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)