Joint NGO response to the Commission consultation on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2020 under the CFP

This joint NGO response to the Commission’s consultation on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2020 was co-signed by ClientEarth, Pew Charitable Trusts, Oceana, Seas At Risk, Fisheries Secretariat and Our Fish. In this response, we jointly call on the Commission to propose fishing opportunities for 2020 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).

In previous years, each NGO submitted its own response, often focusing on the shortcomings in the Commission’s in part misleadingly positive reporting on the situation of fish stocks and progress towards ending overfishing. Many of these shortcomings remain, but instead of individually  reiterating our concerns and recommendations in this regard, this year we developed a more succinct joint NGO response. In this document, we provide clear recommendations regarding

• the Commission’s proposals for fishing opportunities for 2020,
• the correct implementation of the landing obligation, and
• improvements of the transparency of the TAC-setting process.

The fishing opportunities agreed this year for 2020 are particularly crucial, since they must respect the CFP’s legal MSY deadline for ending overfishing by 2020, meaning there is no more time for further delays in following scientific advice on sustainable fishing limits.

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