The European Commission updates its proposal for fishers
The European Commission has updated its fishing proposal for the Mediterranean and Black Sea for the upcoming year. The aim is to recognize the efforts of fishers while also ensuring the sustainability of vital fish stocks.
The goal is to continue the recovery of fish stocks under the Western Mediterranean multiannual management plan, maintaining fishing days at 2024 levels.
Scientific data show improvements in the Western Mediterranean, with increasing biomass and decreasing fishing mortality, although many species remain overfished. The Commission therefore proposes reducing fishing effort and adopting corrective measures, focusing in particular on vulnerable stocks such as Norway lobster in Catalonia and Sardinia.
The Commission also proposes scaling back initial reductions for fishers who do not catch Norway lobster and continuing the 2025 compensation system. This will allow fishers to implement additional conservation measures, recover fishing days, and support the recovery of fish stocks.
These measures are crucial for implementing regional management plans in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, setting catch and effort limits for key species. The proposal reflects the EU’s commitment to sustainable fisheries, based on scientific recommendations from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) and the results of the 48th annual session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).