Positions & Papers
Joint NGO feedback to the European Commission on the Common Fisheries Policy’s state of play and orientations for 2023
August 23, 2022
We have provided a joint NGO response to the European Commission’s public consultation on the progress towards more sustainable fisheries, the state of fish stocks and the setting of fishing opportunities. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) regulation aims to make European fisheries economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. However, the EU is still far from reaching its legal obligation of harvesting all stocks sustainably by 2020. Read more here.
Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2023
June 15, 2022
In October 2022, EU fisheries ministers will agree on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2023. As the deadline to end overfishing by 2020 has passed, all fishing limits must be in line with sustainable exploitation rates. We have provided joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2023 in the context of environmental regulations, EU fisheries legislation, scientific advice on catch limits, and the sharing of stocks with third countries. Read the NGO briefing here.
Press reactive on ICES advise: No improvement for collapsed stocks – time for a reboot in the Baltic Sea
June 1, 2022
In October 2022, EU fisheries ministers will agree on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2023. Our joint NGO response to the annual scientific advice for 2023 fishing limits in the Baltic Sea by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) states that the Baltic Sea remains in a dire condition, despite tightening of fishing limits in recent years, and that governments in the region must urgently implement precautionary, ecosystem-based fisheries management and boost control and enforcement. Read the NGO press reactive here.
NGO response to DG MARE consultation on how to implement the ICES advice on eel
May 10, 2022
The European eel needs a break. It used to be so common that it made up more than 50% of all freshwater biomass in many countries. That is almost impossible to imagine today. A joint response by 22 NGOs to DG MARE consultation providing recommendations on what we believe needs to be done to implement the ICES advice on European eel can be found here.
A report on the Decline of Cod in the Baltic Sea
March 24, 2022
This state of the art report gives an overview of the current knowledge on the situation of cod in the Baltic Sea, as well as recommendations for Baltic cod recovery. It was produced by FishSec as part of the Return of the Cod Project. FishSec Report Decline Baltic Cod March2022
December 9, 2021
Joint NGO recommendations Northeast Atlantic fishing opportunities 2022
October 14, 2021
Updated FINAL NGO recommendations Baltic TACs 2022 based on ICES advice for salmon and western baltic cod
October 8, 2021
When our first Joint NGO recommendations Baltic TACs 2022 was released International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) had not been able to produce their advice for a number of stocks. As soon as the advice was released the Joint recommendations was complemented with a non-paper that was circulated to stakeholders. This updated version of the joint recommendations includes the final recommendations from the non-paper. In October 2021, EU fisheries ministers will agree on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2022. We have provided a range of recommendations regarding the principles for setting sustainable fishing quotas in line with the Common Fisheries Policy and also specific recommendations for the Total Allowable Catches for each of the Baltic fish stocks that are managed by quota. Read the NGO briefing. 211008 FINAL Joint NGO recommendations Baltic TACs 2022
Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2022
June 18, 2021
In October 2021, EU fisheries ministers will agree on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2022. We have provided a range of recommendations regarding the principles for setting sustainable fishing quotas in line with the Common Fisheries Policy and also specific recommendations for the Total Allowable Catches for each of the Baltic fish stocks that are managed by quota. Read the NGO briefing: 210618 FINAL Joint NGO recommendations Baltic TACs 2022
A report on the Annual three-month eel fishing closures
June 16, 2021
Our report on the implementation of the eel fishing closures shows that they largely fail to protect the migration of the critically endangered European eel. FishSec eel closures report 2021 final