Joint NGO recommendations to the EU on fishing opportunities for 2025

These joint NGO recommendations to the European Commission and the Council of EU fisheries ministers were co-signed by 22 NGOs (ClientEarth, Bass Angling Conservation, Birdlife Europe, BirdWatch Ireland, BLOOM Association, Blue Marine Foundation, BUND, The Danish Society for Nature Conservation, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, Deutsche Umwelthilfe, Dutch Elasmobranch Society, Ecologistas en Acción, FishSec, France Nature Environnement, Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE), German Foundation for Marine Conservation (DSM), North Sea Foundation, Oceana, Sciaena, Seas At Risk, Shark Trust and Whale and Dolphin Conservation). In this document, we jointly call on the European Commission to propose, and the EU fisheries ministers to set fishing opportunities for 2025 in line with the requirements and objectives of the CFP, in order to restore and maintain fish populations above biomass levels capable of producing the maximum sustainable yield (MSY).

This means setting precautionary fishing opportunities well below the best available scientific single-stock advice for maximum catches and target fishing mortality (in the Western Mediterranean), in order to end overfishing and maximise long-term ecosystem health, productivity and resilience in the face of mounting pressures like climate change. We provide clear recommendations regarding:

• the setting of Total Allowable Catches (TACs), and effort restrictions for the Western Mediterranean, for 2025, including suggestions for how to apply additional precaution in the face of uncertainty and knowledge gaps regarding relevant ecosystem dynamics and impacts,
• the management of fish stocks shared with third parties, including the United Kingdom,
• the need to use mixed fisheries and interspecies considerations and implement an ecosystem-based approach in order to safeguard the most vulnerable stock(s),
• the fishing effort regime in the Western Mediterranean Sea,
• the correct implementation of the landing obligation,
• the management of depleted stocks with zero or very low catch advice,
• the management of stocks not subject to a TAC (such as European eel and sea bass), and
• the management of deep-sea stocks.

Related links:

Find other files produced or co-signed by ClientEarth related to the annual negotiations on fishing opportunities from 2015 onwards here.