May 2025

News about fair fisheries, healthy seas and vibrant fishing communities

21/4 LIFE’s Contribution to the CFP Consultation

Earlier this year, the European Commission launched a public consultation to assess the effectiveness of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). This builds on the 2023 “Pact for Fisheries and Oceans” and the 2024 Call for Evidence on the CFP.  As part of this important process, LIFE submitted a detailed response, bringing forward the voices, insights, and concerns of small-scale fishers from across Europe.

Our contribution highlights the challenges faced on the water, the gaps between policy and practice, and the urgent need for a CFP that truly works for low-impact, small-scale fishing communities. 

9/4 LIFE Exchanges with Commissioner Kadis on Fair Policies for Small-Scale Fishers 

9/4 Brussels, Belgium – LIFE President Gwen Pennarun joined LIFE staff to meet with EU Commissioner Kadis and his team, using the opportunity to address the key challenges facing Europe’s small-scale fisheries.. LIFE presented its vision for a fair and sustainable future for the sector, highlighting how the 2024–2029 European Commission mandate could strengthen support for the small-scale fleet. Pennarun was able to share his professional experience of how opportunities to achieve fair fisheries are being squandered through unfair policies and partial implementation of the CFP, providing the concrete examples of Bluefin tuna, pollack, and seabass. He also highlighted his work to train and guide young fishers into the profession, and how partial implementation of the CFP – notably Article 17 – has led to future generations of fishers being discriminated against, albeit unintentionally. 

Discussions covered priority issues such as the implementation of Article 17, SSF engagement through Producer Organisations and Advisory Councils, and the urgent need for more comprehensive, reliable scientific advice, with a review of how MSY and fishing levels are set.

LIFE contributes to the Dialogue on Energy Transition in EU Small-Scale Fisheries

7/4 Brussels, Belgium – The Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) for the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture sector, under the European Commission (DG MARE) held hybrid workshops for the small-scale, large-scale and distant water fleets in the framework of the event “Navigating the Future of EU Fisheries Through Energy Transition”. The first exchange  focused on Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries (SSCF) and was presented by LIFE’s Executive Secretary Marta Cavallé, who is also  coordinator of this working group. Participants explored key challenges and opportunities in the shift to low-emission energy, building on prior ETP sessions and using case studies to guide discussion. 

LIFE Advocates for Small-Scale Fishers at InterAC meeting

8/4 Brussels, Belgium – LIFE staff represented the Baltic Sea Advisory Council at the recent InterAC event, where we participated in a roundtable discussion on the Vision for EU Fisheries in 2040, at the presence of EU Commissioner Costas Kadis. During the session, LIFE underscored the urgent need to enhance access to fish stocks and called on the European Commission to provide stronger support for the small-scale fishing sector—an essential pillar of sustainable and resilient coastal communities.

President Gwen Pennarun and LIFE staff meet French MEP Eric Sargiacomo on Small-Scale Fisheries Priorities

8/4 Brussels, Belgium – President Gwen Pennarun and LIFE staff held a constructive meeting with MEP Eric Sargiacomo (S&D) focused on key issues facing small-scale fishers and coastal communities. Sargiacomo expressed strong support for the men and women who take to the sea each day to provide quality seafood, sustain coastal communities, and preserve traditional knowledge. “They provide an indispensable thread in the social fabric that holds our coastal communities together”, he said. The discussion touched on crucial topics including maritime spatial planning, climate change, fishing opportunities, resource sharing, and fisheries governance—all of which require collaborative action moving forward.

Event in the European Parliament: Small-scale fisheries turning digital: how to do it right?

23/4 Brussels, Belgium – The Fish-X Project, in which LIFE participates, organised its final workshop ahead of the project ending later this year in July. Fish-X has been developing digital tools for vessel monitoring and catch reporting to empower small-scale fishers and which respond to the amended Fisheries Control Regulation. According to the project, digitalisation is not optional, but essential to achieve fair and sustainable fisheries. 

The event, hosted by the EPP and Renew Europe political groups, centred around a panel comprising two small-scale fishers from Croatia and Portugal, MEPs, DG Mare, and technical experts. Opening the discussion, Croatian MEP Zeljana Zovoka, EPP, called for a balanced approach (to fisheries control), highlighting the burden of excessive regulation on the one hand, and the fishers’ lack of a voice on the other. She noted that “digitalisation is a powerful tool, but only if it serves the people”. The meeting was closed by MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, who highlighted how small-scale fisheries is leading in the digital transformation of the fishing sector; that AI will not replace fishers, but will provide an essential tool.

Pioneering a Sustainable Round Goby Fishery in the Baltic Sea

As part of our initiative to develop a commercial round goby fishery in the Baltic Sea, LIFE is funding test fishing operations in Germany and Sweden through mid-June 2025. The aim is to design and evaluate viable fishing gear while working alongside scientists to deepen our understanding of the round goby stock. This work lays the foundation for a sustainable fishery, and LIFE will continue its efforts on this project through 2027.

Coming up:

12-15/5 ICES Baltic advice drafting group

LIFE staff will attend as an observer the ICES advice drafting group for Baltic Sea stocks. Scientists present their findings from annual surveys and their advice for next year regarding the development and recommendations for each fish stock. 

19-20/4 The next PECH meeting will take place on Monday, 19 May 2025, 15:00 to 18:30 (tbc) and Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 09:00 to 12:30 & 14:30 to 18:30 in the room SPAAK 5B1 (Brussels).

21-23/4 European Maritime Days (Cork): LIFE will attend the EMD,  the place where ‘Ocean Leaders Meet’. It provides an engaging and interactive experience to catch up on the current state of play on a broad range of issues concerning the blue economy and the marine environment and to discuss ways of moving forward.