November 2025

News about fair fisheries, healthy seas and vibrant fishing communities

 

8/10 LIFE Board of Directors meet to discuss direction for 2025/2026

The Secretariat updated the Board of Directors (BOD) the most recent on developments, with a focus on the upcoming Small-Scale Fisheries Implementation Dialogue and LIFE’s role in it. This round-table is an integral part of the EU Commissioner’s Mission, and is scheduled for November 24. For LIFE, it highlights important political capital and an important not to be missed opportunity. A key highlight of the meeting was the approval of the application of the Norwegian Association “Norges Kystfiskarlag” as Associate Members, further strengthening LIFE’s representation in Northern Europe. Recommendations for responding to the issue of a Small-Scale Fisheries Advisory Council were also agreed alongside the Make Fishing Fair Roadmap, with key priorities and format of a call to action that will be discussed during a dedicated event in Brussels on the 17 of November.

The upcoming Elective General Assembly and enhancing LIFE’s engagement within the Advisory Councils were also discussed. LIFE’s BOD remains committed to advancing the voice and rights of small-scale fishers across Europe, with renewed energy and solidarity.

 

8/10 New members on board: small-scale fishers from Norway join LIFE 

LIFE is pleased to welcome Norges Kystfiskarlag, representing Norway’s small-scale fishers, as a new member of the network. With over 400 vessels committed to low-impact, sustainable fishing, Norges Kystfiskarlag brings valuable experience and a strong voice from Norway’s coastal communities. Their membership strengthens cooperation across the North Sea region, enhancing joint efforts toward fair, sustainable, and resilient fisheries management in Europe’s northern waters.

 

13/10-17/10 LIFE at Ocean Week 2025

LIFE actively participated in this year’s EU Ocean Week which took place in the European Parliament, engaging in key debates on sustainable fisheries, equitable funding, and community-based ocean governance.

Brian O’Riordan, LIFE Policy Advisor, joined the panel of an event on EU funding organised by ClientEarth alongside Seas At Risk and BirdLife to discuss the urgent need to rethink EU fisheries subsidies under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The initiative was hosted by French MEP Yon Courtin, and the discussion highlighted how current funding through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) continues to favour large-scale industrial fleets, calling instead for fair and sustainable financing that supports small-scale, low-impact fishers and healthy marine ecosystems.

Praising the Communty-Led Local Development (CLLD) approach, LIFE emphasised that for small-scale fishers to benefit from sectoral support going forward, three prerequisite conditions need to be met: 

• Recognition of their strategic socio-economic role in EU fisheries with the political will to support them;
• Targeted aid/ Small-scale Fisheries action plan and a ring fenced budget; and
• A fit for purpose aid delivery system taking the special characteristics of SSF into account 

LIFE staff also attended an event organised by Blue Marine and Oceano Azul, hosted by MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, which focused on community engagement in the designation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The event highlighted successful examples from across Europe and reaffirmed the importance of involving local fishers and coastal communities in achieving the EU’s goal of protecting 30% of its seas by 2030. It featured testimonies from fishers from mainland Portugal, Greece, and Italy, and included an address by EU Commissioner Costas Kadis.

Finally, LIFE participated in the FishSec event “Small Fish, Big Impact: Time for Ecosystem-Based Management,” chaired by MEP Isabella Lövin. The discussion underscored the crucial role of small pelagic species such as sprat, herring, and sandeel in maintaining marine ecosystem health and called for their sustainable, ecosystem-based management across Europe.

In parallel, LIFE’s Executive Secretary, Marta Cavallé, attended the European Foundations for Sustainable Agriculture and Food (EFSAF) gathering, joining civil society actors working toward a fair and sustainable agri-food transition. Her participation helped align small-scale fisheries priorities with regenerative food movements and explore synergies between ocean and land-based communities for resilient, nature-positive food systems.

Through these engagements, LIFE continues to advocate for sustainability, fairness, and community participation at the heart of EU ocean and fisheries policies.

 

16/10 LIFE Responds to the EC Proposal for Baltic Sea Fishing Opportunities 2026

On 16 October, LIFE attended the European Parliament’s PECH Committee, where the European Commission presented its proposal for 2026 Baltic Sea fishing opportunities.

LIFE welcomes the proposal as a step toward stock recovery, but warns that the small-scale coastal fishery (SSCF) — which represents 92% of the fleet and 77% of fishing employment — continues to bear a disproportionate share of the recovery burden. LIFE calls for quota cuts to be directed toward the industrial pelagic fleet, which dominates Baltic catches and supplies fishmeal largely for export, while maintaining limited SSCF access and addressing ecological pressures such as prey depletion and unmanaged predators.

Following the Council’s decision, LIFE expresses deep disappointment. Ministers allocate nearly 97% of the total Baltic commercial catch to herring and sprat, most destined for fishmeal and export — a choice that favours short-term industrial gains over ecosystem recovery and the survival of coastal fisheries.

Despite encouraging signals from Commissioner Costas Kadis, who prioritises reversing the decline in the Baltic, the Council’s actions fall short. The 45% increase in the sprat quota, based on uncertain scientific assumptions, risks repeating past mistakes and undermines fragile stocks.

LIFE continues to call for prudence and fairness in Baltic fisheries management — to rebuild ecosystems, restore livelihoods, and secure a sustainable future for small-scale fishers.

 

22/10 LIFE members excluded from market as they lack MSC certification

When one of our members went to deliver herring to a local processor, they received bad news. The supermarket chain that they supplied would now only accept fish that came from trawlers because they were MSC certified. After journalists reported on the story there have been further discussions on creating a solution but at present fishing with selective, low impact methods means they are excluded from the market. This highlights how important LIFE’s work to establish a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) for small-scale fisheries is key for their viability.

 

31/10 LIFE follows up with the Commission and ICES regarding scientific advice

In a continuation of the dialogue that we began in May with a letter to Commissioner Costas Kadis, LIFE has recommended that the request from the EU for scientific advice on the management of fish stocks is adjusted so that the models used for advice aim to provide moreand larger fish. 

With the 5 year Framework Partnership Agreement between the Commission and ICES due to expire next year and the upcoming discussions regarding the Annual Grant Agreement we see an opportunity to improve the basis upon which management takes its decisions and thereby implements the Common Fisheries Policy more successfully.

As we have seen in the recent discussions on Baltic quotas, the interpretation of ICES advice has become a key part of the negotiations while the need for rebuilding advice is long overdue.

We make two recommendations for immediate improvements to the scientific advice. Firstly, mixed unsorted catches from the industrial fleet should be controlled by eDNA when landings exceed 1 tonne. This would improve data quality by accurately recording bycatch and species composition. Secondly, thresholds should be revised so that stocks are kept to at least 40% of their original size while fishing on small pelagic species and prey stocks should be limited so as to improve biodiversity and ecosystem health.

 

23-24/10 – 29th Meeting of the Member States Expert Group on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSEG) in Limassol, Cyprus.

Earlier this year, LIFE was accepted as an observer to the MSEG — a forum where Member States exchange knowledge and experiences on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). LIFE attended this meeting remotely in its observer capacity.

A significant part of the discussions focused on the implementation dialogue held in July, the supporting studies, and the future revision of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD). As outlined in the Ocean Pact, the European Commission plans to propose an “Ocean Act”, which will include a revision of the MSPD and an initiative on ocean observation. Consequently, much of the meeting was dedicated to engaging with Member States on the forthcoming MSPD/Ocean Act revision.

 

Energy Transition Partnership: next steps

The Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) process to develop contributions for a future Roadmap for the Energy Transition in Europe is reaching a crucial and decisive stage.

Following numerous meetings throughout the year with both the SSF Working Group and the wider Support Group, the SSF Working Group has finalised its sectoral recommendations for the Energy Transition. These have been submitted to DG MARE and the ETP Assistance Mechanism.

The entire Support Group is now discussing the joint recommendations, which will highlight the points of convergence across different sectors. The final document is expected to be published by December.

 

LIFE Baltic Coordinator Interviewed by Swedish Radio on Salmon Bycatch

LIFE’s Baltic and North Sea Coordinator, Christian Tsangarides, was recently interviewed by a Swedish Radio on the issue of salmon bycatch in the Baltic Sea.

Christian explained LIFE’s mission as an organisation that unites small-scale fishers and members committed to low-impact, environmentally responsible fishing. He highlighted that up to 100,000 salmon may be caught as bycatch in the Baltic each year — a figure that, while uncertain and based on older estimates, underscores the urgent need for better data and monitoring.

He noted that new tools such as environmental DNA (eDNA) could play a key role in improving knowledge on salmon bycatch and assessing whether it poses a threat to wild salmon populations. eDNA works by analysing genetic material shed by organisms into their environment, allowing scientists to identify species, support stock assessments, and even trace illegal or unreported catches without the need for direct capture.

The interview also features the perspective of Dennis Bergman, a Swedish small-scale fisher, who explains why salmon is so vital to small-scale fisheries and coastal communities across the Baltic region.

 

Coming up:

4-5/11 Helsinki, Finland – Energy Transition in Fisheries, from visions to action: The Conference on Energy Transition in Fisheries brings together Northern European stakeholders to define concrete actions for a decarbonization of the fisheries sector.

17/11 Brussels, Belgium – Via their Make Fishing Fair campaign, LIFE and Blue Ventures bring together 45 fishers from 17 countries across Europe to meet with EU Commissioner Costas Kadis, MEPs and stakeholders to present their priorities and demands for resilient, fair, and profitable small-scale fisheries.

17-18/11 Viimsi,Tallinn, Estonia – Baltic Sea Regional Forum for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change: the Forum will have a special focus on the Baltic region and bring together regional and local leaders, Mission Ocean Charter Signatories, policymakers, experts, and project practitioners to share best practices in climate adaptation and resilience. 

24/11 Brussels, Belgium – Implementation Dialogue on Small-Scale Fisheries – the European Commission will host an Implementation Dialogue on Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF), bringing together stakeholders to discuss progress and next steps in advancing the SSF sector across Europe. The meeting aims to ensure effective implementation of policies supporting small-scale fisheries.