Europe’s leading fishing and aquaculture organisations have called on the European Commission to develop an ambitious EU Action Plan for Blue Foods, arguing that seafood must be recognised as a strategic pillar of food security, on par with agriculture.
In a meeting on 1 December 2025 with Costas Kadis, EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, representatives from the EU Seafood Alliance (Europêche, EAPO, FEAP and Seafood Europe) and the marine policy organisation EBCD presented their shared priorities for boosting EU consumption of aquatic foods.
The discussion comes as the Commission prepares its Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture, which has been formally included in the EU’s 2026 Work Programme. Stakeholders say the next phase of the vision must position Blue Foods at the centre of Europe’s food systems strategy.
The group urged the Commission to work with industry and stakeholders to co-develop a comprehensive Blue Foods Action Plan, starting with the creation of an EU-backed Blue Foods Platform to drive sustainability initiatives, research, innovation and investment.
They stressed that aquatic foods intersect with several Commission portfolios – including maritime affairs, food safety, trade, environment and health – and warned against repeating past fragmentation that has slowed policy progress.
During the meeting, delegates reiterated the “unique value” of aquatic foods as nutrient-dense, low-carbon and produced in connection with healthy aquatic ecosystems. They argued that seafood is both a public-health asset and a climate solution, supporting jobs and resilience in coastal and rural communities across Europe.
Fisheries and aquaculture, they said, must not be left behind as the Commission promotes competitiveness and regulatory simplification across the food sector.
The Blue Foods Action Plan proposal has already gained support from the European Economic and Social Committee, Members of the European Parliament and multiple Advisory Councils. Stakeholders pledged to continue outreach to Commissioners and EU institutions to ensure the Action Plan is fully embedded in Vision 2040.
“The message is clear,” the groups said after the meeting. “Europe needs an ambitious, integrated Blue Foods Action Plan to secure the future of fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food consumption.”
