April 2025

April 24 2025

LIFE’s contribution to the CFP Consultation

In January 2025, the European Commission opened a public consultation to gather evidence, insights, concerns, ideas, and feedback on the effectiveness of the common fisheries policy (CFP) regulation from a range of stakeholders, including individuals, the fisheries and maritime sectors, scientists, non-governmental and other organisations, and national administrations from EU Member States. The deadline for the consultation was 21 April 2025; LIFE’s contribution is available below.

LIFE response to the questionnaire + Attachment

April 10 2025

Catch of the Day – March 2025

LIFE Platform Newsletters

News about fair fisheries, healthy seas and vibrant fishing communities

LIFE Swedish Members Urge EU Commissioner to Take Action on Baltic Sea Crisis

27/3 Simrishamn, Sweden – LIFE representatives Bengt Larsson (SYEF) and Stefan Nordin (Kustfiskarna Bottenhavet PO) met with EU Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis in Simrishamn, Sweden, to highlight the Baltic Sea’s ecological decline and the urgent need to protect small-scale fisheries.

The meeting was organized in the framework of the visits of Commissioner Kadis to fishing communities on the ground, initiated by Swedish MEPs and hosted by the Marine Centre, brought together MEPs, fishers, scientists, environmental groups, and officials. Larsson called for science-based quota reductions, stressing that “we can survive low quotas, but not more closures,” referencing the ineffective cod fishing ban since 2019.

Research from BalticWaters showed cod stocks can recover with better food access, but the ongoing overfishing and poor management of prey species like herring and sprat continues to undermine the ecosystem and prospects for the fishery. Commissioner Kadis acknowledged the urgency and announced a Baltic-wide Ministerial Meeting for September.

LIFE thanks the Velux Foundation for supporting its work toward sustainable fisheries in the region.

Make Fishing Fair: Small-Scale Fishers Bring their Fight for Justice to Brussels

25/3 Brussels – LIFE members gathered at the European Parliament to demand fairness in fisheries management. Hosted by MEPs Isabella Lövin, Emma Fourreau, and Luke Ming Flanagan, and co-organised by LIFE and Blue Ventures, the event tackled the ongoing injustices facing the EU’s “forgotten fleet” – the small-scale fishing operators.

With the EU currently reviewing the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), discussions focused on the failure to implement Article 17, which calls for transparent and objective quota allocation based on environmental, social, and economic criteria. MEPs and fishers called out the dominance of industrial fleets and the use of “catch history” to allocate quota, and the lack of transparency. They urged that guidelines be established with a binding implementation plan to support low-impact fishers. Article 17 has the potential to provide a fair access to resources for small-scale and low impact fishers and a mechanism to reward those who are committed to sustainability and whose activity generates the highest social benefits. Its implementation could enable a progressive transition over the years and provide a true incentive for making sustainable fisheries a reality.

With the EU Ocean Pact and third UN Ocean Conference now in sight, the call was clear: make fishing fair—now. More information in our official press release.

LIFE’s Executive Secretary Marta Cavallé Walks the Talk at POLITICO Europe Event: Small-scale Fisheries have a Preeminent Role to Play in the Future of EU Ocean Policy

3/3 Brussels – LIFE’s Executive Secretary, Marta Cavallé, recently took part in Politico Europe’s high-level event, “Walking the Talk on the European Oceans Pact” alongside EU Commissioner Costas Kadis, MEP Isabella Lövin, and other key voices in the ocean policy space.

Marta delivered a compelling masterclass on the crucial role of small-scale, low-impact fishers—emphasizing that they are not only part of Europe’s cultural heritage but also potential game changers in addressing environmental challenges, securing livelihoods, and anchoring resilient coastal economies.

She highlighted that there are no “win-win” solutions when it comes to expanding the blue economy, warning that not all maritime activities are compatible and that they have different impacts on the oceans.The need for trade-offs must be acknowledged—particularly between food and energy security on the one hand and maintaining a healthy oceans on the other.

Marta reinforced LIFE’s call for the creation of a 12-mile regenerative zone, reserved for low-impact fishing and managed through co-management regimes, as a necessary step to offset and mitigate the pressures of blue economy expansion.

The event helped put small-scale fishers firmly on the EU ocean agenda at a pivotal time in shaping sustainable ocean governance.

Listed Ports Exemptions: A Glaring Lacuna in EU Fisheries Control Regulation

10/3 online – LIFE has published an article raising concerns over a recent derogation introduced through the EU Fisheries Control Regulation Implementing Act. Just months after stricter catch reporting rules were adopted, a new Implementing Act exempts vessels landing unsorted catches in as yet undisclosed “Listed Ports,” weakening the regulation’s core aim of accurate, species-level reporting.

The measure benefits large-scale industrial fleets and risks repeating past policy failures, such as the ineffective Landing Obligation, by enabling continued misreporting and undermining transparency.

LIFE calls for urgent clarification, enforcement, and fair application of the rules across all fleet segments to safeguard fish stocks and ensure accountability.

European Ocean Days: an opportunity to raise the profile of small-scale fisheries

3/3 Brussels – LIFE took part in European Ocean Days in Brussels organised by the European Commission—a dynamic week of events focused on shaping the future of Europe’s ocean policy. Representing the Seaglow project, LIFE joined Day 2 of the Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters Forum at Charlemagne, spotlighting innovative, scalable solutions and reviewing progress toward the EU’s 2030 ocean restoration targets. Discussions emphasized collaboration with local authorities, private sectors, and regions to scale impact.

The following day, LIFE participated in the Fisheries and Oceans Dialogues, central to co-designing the European Ocean Pact. This key session gathered stakeholders to build a roadmap toward a healthy ocean, a sustainable blue economy, and stronger marine knowledge.Together with partners CAOPA and the CFFA, LIFE amplified the voices of small-scale fishers, stressing their vital role in sustaining marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

LIFE at Fish-X Conference: Advancing the Digital Future of EU Fisheries

18/3 Online – LIFE attended the Fish-X Conference + Expo, where the Fish-X Roadmap for Digital Transformation of EU Fisheries until 2030 was launched. The event highlighted new digital tools like the Fish-X Dataspace & Insight Platform, aimed at supporting the updated EU Fisheries Control and CMO Regulations.

Discussions emphasized the need for a shared, actionable plan to ensure effective digitalisation rollout and adoption across all fisheries sectors. LIFE appreciates that small-scale fishers are considered central in this digital shift and digitalisation responds to their specific needs.

Attendees also engaged with Fish-X partners through virtual expo booths and pre-booked meetings.

ETP SSF working group second meeting

27/03 Online – LIFE organised the 2nd meeting of the SSF Working Group of the Energy Transition, focused on the “technological solutions, research and innovation gaps”. Following the conclusions of the previous meeting, a panel of speakers was invited to help attendeesbetter understand the state of play of technological solutions and best practices for energy transition in the SSF sector. Facilitated exchanges between fishers and engineers were highly productive, putting forward key recommendations, including the need to accelerate the prototype design phase, through a localised and participatory approach. Next meeting will take place on April 28th, focusing on the regulatory framework, monitoring and finance.

Coming up:

7/4 Brussels: Workshop: “Navigating the future of EU Fisheries through the energy transition”

8-9/4 Brussels: Inter-AC meeting: Vision for EU fisheries in 2040 and Dialogue with DG MARE on key fisheries topics related to the CFP

9/4 Brussels: PECH Committee meeting

23/4 Brussels: Event in the EP organised by WWF “Small-scale fisheries turning digital: how to do it right?”

28-30/4 Poland: EU Mission Oceans & Waters Mission Arena 4

Press review:

Make fishing fair event:

Control regulation

April 10 2025

LIFE Members Meet EU Commissioner Costas Kadis in Simrishamn to Highlight Baltic Sea Crisis

LIFE Platform News Kadis, sweden

Bengt Larsson, LIFE Director and representative of SYEF, together with his colleague Stefan Nordin from Kustfiskarna Bottenhavet PO met with Costas Kadis, the new European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, during his mission to Sweden. The meeting focused on the escalating crisis in the Baltic Sea and the urgent need to safeguard the future of small-scale fisheries in the region.

Commissioner Kadis was accompanied by five Swedish MEPs from the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee—representing EPP, S&D, the Greens, and Renew Europe—along with a diverse group of stakeholders, including coastal fishers, scientists, environmental organisations, anglers, and the coast guard. The event, hosted by the Marine Centre in Simrishamn, followed the momentum of LIFE’s Baltic Emergency event.

In his intervention, Bengt Larsson presented the same powerful message previously delivered in Brussels, highlighting the deteriorating state of the Baltic Sea, the struggles of small-scale fishers, and the need for immediate and targeted action. LIFE members called for science-based quota reductions in order to reverse the significant decline in stocks observed over the past decade. Larsson emphasised full support for the Commission in working towards significant quota reductions and stated that “we can survive low quotas but we cannot survive more closures”, referring to the ongoing cod ban since 2019—which disproportionately harm low-impact fishers and has not contributed to an improvement in the state of the stock.

Conrad Stralka from the foundation BalticWaters presented research from their lab demonstrating that Baltic cod grew well when provided with sufficient food, and there was criticism from scientists, environmental organisations, anglers and politicians that species interactions were not sufficiently considered by management. This has led to a situation that while the cod fishery is closed and the stock is not recovering its prey, herring and sprat, continuing to be fished at very high levels with those stocks now also in decline.

Scientists reiterated the unique ecological vulnerability of the Baltic and the dramatic decline of commercial stocks, while Commissioner Kadis acknowledged the urgency of the situation. He welcomed the cross-party unity in Sweden and stressed the importance of the Oceans Pact, calling it a concrete roadmap for holistic action, not just a vision.

To follow up, the Commissioner announced plans for a Ministerial Meeting in September, to be co-hosted with the Swedish Commissioner from DG ENVI, bringing together regional ministers from all Baltic Member States to address the crisis collaboratively.

LIFE would like to thank the Velux Foundation for its continued support of the organisation’s work in the Baltic and North Sea, helping to amplify the voice of small-scale fishers and drive forward sustainable solutions – support without which such milestones would not be possible.

April 1 2025

LIFE’s Views on the Ocean Pact

LIFE Platform Policy positions

In January, the European Commission launched a call for evidence to shape the European Oceans Pact, a political initiative that aims to promote sustainable ocean management and ensure the health, resilience, and productivity of the oceans—key to the prosperity of the EU’s coastal communities. The European Oceans Pact will set a vision for a holistic approach to ocean-related policies, which the Commission aims to present in time for the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

The Low Impact Fishers of Europe has contributed to the Call for Evidence, and -in parallel- has participated in many events that the European Commission and others are organising on the subject. Here we present a summary of our views on the Ocean Pact, with a complete version in the attached document provided below this page.

Small scale fisheries (SSF) is not just about being part of our cultural heritage as is often presented. The sector is, and provides much more than that: it is a strategic socio-economic sector, providing part of the solution to restoring and regenerating Europe’s troubled seas and disappearing coastal communities. SSF is a way of life, an identity deeply connected to the sea, with a rich store of experiential and traditional knowledge. Small-scale fishers are custodians of the sea, fishing as they do in a low impact manner and are actors of change intent on preserving our oceans, and reducing their relatively small carbon footprint even further. Fishers are food producers generating socio-economic benefits for coastal communities, playing an essential role in food and livelihood security, and food sovereignty. SSF are the backbone of our coastal communities, not only dynamizing local value chains but also building strong links with tourism and other service providers. SSF fix people in their territories, especially in remote areas and islands, providing an anchor point for communities with few alternatives.

However, despite all these benefits the sector has been marginalised and we have now reached a tipping point where we are at risk of disappearing, not just as a sector along with all its benefits, but at risk of losing all the potential our sector has to offer. We are convinced that SSF is part of the solution and an essential part of the future, with great potential to contribute to meeting the Green Deal Agenda and SDG goals.

The Oceans Pact must not be another lost opportunity. We therefore urge the Commission to place SSF at the heart of the Ocean Pact, and adopt a differentiated approach to SSF and Large Scale Fisheries (LSF),with ring fenced rights for SSF that would provide our sector with access to resources and markets, protected from the encroachment and erosion by LSF and by very powerful blue economy sectors. We call for the reservation of the 12-mile zone in Europe as a regenerative area to offset the impacts of boosting the Blue Economy and of off-shore fishing, and as an exclusive fishing zone for small-scale low impact fishing.

We need to restore our seas through improved implementation and enforcement of existing laws (including the MSFD, CFP and the Nature Restoration Law). This means strengthening infringement proceedings when laws are transgressed or not implemented, and address the incoherence between policy and practice in fisheries management. We need to address the shortcomings of the scientific advice and establish BMSY as the standard reference point for stock management and setting MSY, in order to grow our diminished stocks.

The Blue Economy narrative of triple bottom line win-wins is fallacious and dangerous. Not all things labelled Blue are compatible, coherent or sustainable. Oceans are not just a “space” from which each and every stakeholder can have their slice of cake and eat it. We tend to forget that oceans are a living ecosystem affected by the impacts of human activities, and the impacts are cumulative. Small-scale fishers are key actors in the blue economy, but are the most vulnerable in this competitive environment of powerful established and emerging sectors . Instead, we call for a “blue doughnut” approach to the Blue Economy, building on the social foundations and respecting ecological boundaries . This will bring coherence and identify compatibility between Blue economy sectors.

We need to strengthen and make Marine Spatial Planning inclusive, so that SSF are able to effectively participate in designing user spaces, with a clear plan for Integrated Coastal Management effectively addressing land and sea interactions.

For more information and a full position on LIFEs response to the Consultation on the Ocean Pact,

please review the document attached here.

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