National and regional partnership plans (NRPPs) are likely to be a key element of the European Union’s future approach to fisheries, according to the Council of the European Union.
On 29 September, the council agreed to a partial negotiating position laying out how it wants to support the bloc’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), maritime and aquaculture policies, and the European Ocean Pact. With the bargaining mandate agreed upon, the council’s presidency can begin negotiating with European Parliament.
“Today’s agreement gives us a solid basis for shaping the future of E.U. support to our fisheries sector. We need to give our fishermen and women the tools to modernize and adapt to the challenges ahead, including the energy transition. We need to do so while ensuring that public funding contributes to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sectors and recognizes our international commitments,” Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Martin Heydon said in a release.
The announcement is the latest step as E.U. lawmakers and regulators consider the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) covering the period 2028 to 2034. According to the council’s position, fisheries and aquaculture support under that MFF would largely be provided through NRPPs, with the goal of replacing existing separate funds and regulations with “a single funding toolbox.”
“The aim is to simplify and streamline E.U. funding, provide greater flexibility to member states, and strengthen synergies between different policy areas,” the council said in a release. “The council’s position aims to provide a good balance between supporting the competitiveness, modernization, and resilience of the E.U. fisheries sector while ensuring the sustainability of fish stocks and compliance with the E.U.’s international obligations.”
According to the council, its position balances the needs for fleet modernization and energy transition without increasing fishing pressure on stocks. Stated objectives of the council’s proposed framework include:
- Generational renewal in fisheries and aquaculture;
- Energy transition and decarbonization of the sector;
- Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture;
- Modernization and innovation;
- Resilience of coastal communities, including small-scale coastal fisheries; and
- Development of the sustainable blue economy.
Earlier in September, the European Parliament charged the European Commission with developing proposals for revising the CFP. An official evaluation of the CFP released in April reported the policy had enabled some progress toward sustainability and improved fisheries management since its implementation, though far less than expected. Industry groups have latched onto the evaluation, saying it supports their claim that the CFP has failed and needs to be revised. Conservation NGOs, meanwhile, claim the main failure of the CFP lies in the lack of implementation by member states.
Soon after, the European Commission proposed an amendment to the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Regulation simplifying funding requirements and codifying the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies into E.U. law.
“Our targeted EMFAF amendment is designed to turn that principle into practical support: less complexity, better access to funding, and more tools for fishers and aquaculture producers,” European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis said in a social media statement. “The sector is under pressure. Europe must help it modernize, invest, and remain sustainable, competitive, and resilient.”
