Common Fisheries Policy Evaluation Report: Must Do Better
“Fish stock rebuilding is lagging, impacting fishers and coastal communities” says Commissioner Costas Kadis
The Low Impact Fishers of Europe welcomes the publication of the Commission’s Evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation, covering the period 2014 to 2024. It comes after 3 years of deliberations following the publication by the previous Commissioner of the “Pact for Fisheries and Oceans”.
It tells us little that we did not already know: all three sustainability pillars – social, economic and environmental – that support healthy, prosperous and sustainable fishing are showing cracks and in need of some repair. From a small-scale coastal fisheries perspective, these cracks are potentially life-threatening.
From an environmental perspective, there are less fish of commercial interest and of a healthy size in the sea. As a result less fish is being landed into European ports, with an increasing dependence on fish imports to meet consumption demands. Overall, declared landings are down by around 30% compared to 2014, whilst European consumers rely on imports for over 80% of what they eat. This highlights the extremely weak contribution EU fisheries make to food security in the Union.
Whilst at LIFE we agree with the concept of science-led fisheries management, we don’t agree with the way MSY is currently applied in Europe. Rather than sustaining and rebuilding fisheries, the CFP is sustaining overfishing. LIFE has long called for a revision of the scientific basis for fisheries management by using more appropriate biological reference points for MSY that both rebuild stocks and promote the growth of the spawning stock – to ensure a healthier balance of older and larger individuals This will involve changing the way that scientific advice is provided, moving away from single species models towards a recovery-focused, ecosystem-based advice for fisheries that prioritises biomass over yields.
From a socio-economic perspective, small-scale coastal fisheries (SSCF) are struggling to survive. In the 4 years from 2018 to 2022, the value of SSCF catches from the Baltic, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, and the North Sea declined by between 30% and 36% according to data in the 2025 STECF AER report. Meanwhile, an aging fishing fleet is mirrored by an aging fishing population, with Gen Z and Millennials finding career prospects in fishing unattractive. Meanwhile, those left in the profession feel stuck in a cul de sac.
"I worry for the future of our profession – which is the most sustainable and low impact form of fishing. Working with youngsters as I do, to give them a helping hand, I’ve seen first-hand the multiple barriers and declining prospects they face. The fishing of tomorrow depends on today’s youth. Yet the targeted fisheries we depend upon are being progressively closed down, whilst untargeted industrial fishing is allowed to fish these same resources more or less with impunity. This has to change”, says Gwen Pennarun, LIFE’s President, a professional fisher with over 30 years’ experience at sea.
Marta Cavallé, LIFE’s Executive Secretary points out: “A major failing of the CFP is that it is simply not designed for SSCF, a fleet that accounts for 50% of at sea employment and 70% of the fleet by number. Article 17 could be a game changer, if applied in the spirit of the law. Whilst we accept that the allocation of fishing opportunities is a national prerogative, we would like to see the Commission play a more proactive role in developing appropriate criteria as outlined in the Vademecum, and supporting and encouraging member states to apply them."
To counter the growing challenges facing the fisheries sector resulting from the poor implementation of the CFP, members of LIFE, together with a broader network of small-scale fishers, have developed their own set of priorities and solutions for small-scale fisheries in the Faire de la pêche une foire Roadmap. This initiative reflects the collective knowledge and practical experience of coastal communities, putting forward concrete measures to ensure environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic viability.
Central to the proposal is a call on European institutions to establish a comprehensive Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in Europe by 2026, aimed at safeguarding the future of the sector and recognising its vital role in resilient coastal livelihoods. The plan serves as a common reference point for coordinated engagement with policymakers, ensuring that the voices and priorities of small-scale fishers are consistently represented in regional, national, and European discussions and, most importantly, it will also inform the group’s positions in shaping reflections on the next steps for the Common Fisheries Policy, contributing practical, experience-based insights to future developments.
