Joint NGO response to the Commission consultation on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2024 under the CFP

This joint NGO response to the Commission’s consultation on the setting of fishing opportunities for 2024 was co-signed by ClientEarth, BirdLife International, Blue Marine Foundation, Ecologistas en Acción, Fair Seas, The Fisheries Secretariat, Dutch Elasmobranch Society, Oceana, Sciaena, Seas At Risk and WWF. In this response, we jointly call on the Commission to propose fishing opportunities for 2024 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).

Since most of the issues we have previously raised remain valid, we continue to highlight the following key recommendations that need to be followed in order to ensure that all TACs proposed and set for 2024 meet the objectives of the CFP:

• Acknowledge the real level of overfishing and lack of effective action so far to recover severely depleted stocks
• End overfishing to act on climate and biodiversity crises
• Apply an ecosystem-based approach
• Manage data-limited stocks in line with the CFP’s requirements
• Implement the landing obligation and address the widespread lack of compliance

Since the CFP’s legal MSY deadline for ending overfishing by 2020 has passed, the fishing opportunities agreed this year for 2024 must respect this deadline, and the broader objective of maintaining and restoring all stocks above levels capable of producing MSY.

Related links:

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