Fishing groups challenge EU marine protection report
Fishing organisations are calling for evidence-based marine protection, warning that designated protected areas alone cannot guarantee conservation success
Europêche and the European Bottom Fisheries Alliance (EBFA) have called for a more evidence-based approach to marine conservation following the publication of a European Court of Auditors report examining the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
The organisations support the report’s recommendations for stronger ecological monitoring, socio-economic assessments and stakeholder involvement, but argue that MPA designation alone does not guarantee environmental improvements.
Iván López, chair of EBFA, said: “Ambitious targets should not erase the progress already made: protecting 30% of EU seas means around 1.5 million km². Rather than painting an exclusively negative picture, we should recognise efforts, learn from mistakes and continue our progress.”
The ECA report considers the EU’s targets of protecting 30% of marine areas and placing 10% under strict protection by 2030. Europêche and EBFA emphasise that success should be measured through demonstrable ecological outcomes rather than the size of protected areas or restrictions imposed on particular activities.
They also welcome the report’s support for adaptive management, arguing that conservation measures should be regularly monitored and adjusted where they fail to deliver results.
However, the organisations dispute the report’s suggestion that few fisheries conservation measures have been introduced since 2013. They point to EU fisheries control legislation, multiannual plans, technical measures and deep-sea access regulations, alongside measures adopted by regional fisheries management organisations.
The groups also question the report’s treatment of bottom trawling, arguing that technological improvements, selective fishing gear and habitat protections demonstrate the importance of assessing individual fisheries using scientific evidence.
They further highlight the need to involve fishing representatives in MPA consultations, ensuring practical knowledge and economic considerations inform conservation decisions.
Europêche and EBFA are calling for policies that recognise existing protections, address all pressures on marine ecosystems and encourage innovation rather than relying exclusively on fishing restrictions.
