[Publication] The EU oceans and fisheries policy. Latest developments and future challenges

This study provides an overview of EU policy in relation to Fisheries, Aquaculture, the Blue Economy and International Ocean Governance. It describes the latest developments and future challenges facing the sustainable development of the EU fisheries and aquaculture sectors. By mapping these key challenges against current policies, recommendations are provided to strengthen EU action to address those challenges.

Common Fisheries Policy – Fisheries

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) consists of a number of EU regulations and policies applicable to the fisheries sector: the CFP Basic Regulation (2013), the Control Regulation (2009, amended 2023), the Common Organisation of the Markets (CMO) Regulation (2013), the EU Action Plan on protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries (2023) and the EU Action Plan on the energy transition of the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector (2023). The main support mechanism to assist the fisheries sector implement policy is the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), which has a total budget of EUR 6.2 billion over the period 2021-2027.

The key challenges for the fisheries sector, which need appropriate policy support are:

• Environmental change: adapting to and mitigating climate change and restoring biodiversity.
• Market uncertainty: responding to and making the most of changing but uncertain market conditions and demand for EU-caught fish.
• Slow uptake of new technology: adoption of new technologies and digital tools by all value chain actors and governing institutions.

Policy recommendations:

1. Increase direct support, address constraints and introduce innovative funding mechanisms to fisheries sector operators for green and digital transition.
2. Develop a fisheries-specific technology policy.
3. Develop market standards that ensure a level playing field in the production of seafood and other marine products imported into the EU.
4. Increase policy support for the fisheries sector labour force.
5. Tighten policy content and implementation mechanisms to better support environmental objectives.
6. Re-build trust between sector stakeholders and EU institutions through review of policy development, implementation and evaluation processes.

Common Fisheries Policy – Aquaculture

Article 34 of the CFP Basic Regulation establishes the open method for coordination (OMC), providing a framework for cooperation in aquaculture, an area where the EU shares competence with Member States. The main tools used by the OMC are the provision of non-binding “Guidelines for the development of sustainable aquaculture in the EU” (2013 and updated in 2021); the preparation of Multiannual National Strategic Plans (MNSP) by Member States; and exchange of good practices, which since 2021 is facilitated through the Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism (AAM). Evaluations of the OMC suggest this shared competency works well. But challenges impacting the growth of the EU aquaculture sector remain and include:

• Climate change: has both short and long-term effects on productivity and resilience.
• Increasing input costs: resulting from geo-political change and other factors.
• Coexistence with other marine activities: the growing competition for marine space.
• A diminishing social licence to operate, especially as the competition for space increases.

Policy recommendations:

7. Increase emphasis on growing and diversifying EU aquaculture to meet EU food security and environmental objectives.
8. Consider a long-term strategic realignment of EU aquaculture to adapt to, and benefit from, the expected consequences of climate change.
9. Support the development of coexistence between aquaculture, local communities and other marine economic activities.

The Blue Economy

The interconnected nature of the Blue Economy creates a complex and potentially disjointed policy landscape. This led to the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) in 2007, which included ‘Blue Growth and the Blue Economy’ as one of its 5 cross-cutting policies. In 2021, to integrate the Blue Economy into the European Green Deal and the Recovery Plan for Europe, the Commission adopted a “new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU”[1]. This, along with broader strategies on industry and employment, drives EU policy on the Blue Economy. The main challenges facing fisheries and aquaculture as part of the Blue Economy are:

• Demand for marine space: the displacement of fishing and other activities by offshore renewable energy (national targets are nearly double those set by the EU) along with MPA Co-location of activities and re-powering existing sites should be incentivised. Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) should also be explored.
• Ensuring fair green and digital transitions: Small-scale Blue Economy operators are at a disadvantage in terms of knowledge, skills and capital when it comes to decarbonising and adapting to climate change. This will require more direct support than EMFAF alone.
• Global competitiveness: The EU shows lower productivity than other regions. Non-EU producers are not faced with the EU’s ambitious environmental and social standards.

Policy recommendations:

10. Support existing Blue Economy operators in adapting to climate change and making the green and digital transitions.
11. Incentivise co-location of marine economic activities to maximise the use of space.
12. Define Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) and develop a framework for their implementation to supplement the EU’s MPA network.

International Ocean Governance

CFP standards also apply to EU fishing vessels operating in external waters. CFP tools supporting international fisheries governance include Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs), currently with 14 third countries; Cooperation with other North-East Atlantic coastal states on the management of stocks of common interest; and participation in Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs). The CFP is complemented by the two pillars of the EU IUU Regulation (the catch certification scheme and bilateral cooperation with third countries) and by the coherence of EU development interventions.

EU policy on international ocean governance is based on its ratification of various international agreements such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA). The EU played a proactive role in the recent adoption of two landmark international agreements on marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) in 2023 and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on fisheries subsidies in 2022.

The EU plays a proactive role in International Ocean Governance, but EU support for improved International Ocean Governance faces three main challenges:

• Uneven playing field: resistance of some nations to adhere to international standards underpinning fisheries governance.
• Lack of third country capacity: in developing countries to ratify and / or implement international instruments supporting ocean governance.
• Changing geo-politics: the shifting power of the EU with decreasing influence as flag state and increasing influence as market state.

Policy recommendations:

13. Support the entry into force of the international treaties adopted but not yet into force, and ratification of existing instruments.
14. Continue to encourage coastal EU Member States to ratify relevant IMO and ILO Conventions.
15. Continue invest in capacity building of developing non-EU countries to support implementation of the provisions of international instruments.
16. Leverage EU influence as market state to incentivise international progress towards sustainable fisheries.

[1]        COM(2021) 240 final: