Oceana has welcomed the European Commission’s latest report on sustainable fishing, celebrating a record number of fish stocks now being fished at sustainable levels across EU waters.
The report highlights a major turnaround in the northeast Atlantic, where the share of overfished stocks dropped from 72% in 2004 to just 22% in 2023.
“The Commission’s report confirms that the CFP works – when it is properly implemented,” said Vera Coelho, deputy vice president at Oceana in Europe.
“Where fishing pressure has been reduced in line with legally binding objectives, fish have rebounded.”
The report has also revealed a 37% increase in biomass of fully assessed fish stocks in the northeast Atlantic since 2003, pointing to healthier marine ecosystems and greater food security.
However, Oceana warns that similar progress has not yet reached the Mediterranean, where 51% of stocks were still overfished in 2022 and biomass recovery remains weak due to delayed policy implementation.
Concerns also remain about the distribution of fishing rights. According to Oceana, allocation practices continue to favour larger industrial operators over small-scale, low-impact fishers.
With the Common Fisheries Policy currently under evaluation, Oceana is urging policymakers to focus on enforcement rather than reform.
“The current CFP provides the necessary tools to address today’s challenges,” said Javier López, campaign director for sustainable fisheries. “A reform at this stage could do more harm than good, weakening safeguards and delaying urgently needed action.”
