EU Fisheries Policy

Latest business news about the Fisheries Policy of the European Union.

Fishing and aquaculture are important economic activities in the European Union. While the fishing sector's contribution to the gross national product of Member States is generally less than 1%, its impact is highly significant as a source of employment in areas where there are often few alternatives. In addition, it helps to supply fish products to the EU market, one of the biggest in the world. With a production of almost 7 million tonnes of fish, in 2005, from fisheries and aquaculture, the EU is the world's second largest fishing power after China. Yet, while more than 2 million tonnes of fish products were exported in 2006, over 6 million tonnes had to be imported to meet the needs of the EU. This imbalance between imports and exports resulted in a deficit of over €13 billion the same year .

Spain fishermen protest Morocco trawling ban — 09 January 2012, 17:47 CET

Hundreds of fishermen demonstrated in southern Spain Monday against a ban on them trawling in Moroccan waters which threatens their livelihoods.

EU's Atlantic neighbours told 'last chance' in mackerel war — 17 December 2011, 22:22 CET

Iceland and the Faroe Islands face their "last chance" to end a mackerel quota war in negotiations next month, EU fisheries ministers said, otherwise the EU could impose sanctions.

Spain orders fishermen back to port after Morocco ban — 15 December 2011, 22:29 CET

Scores of Spanish fishing boats sat stuck in port Thursday after being banned from Moroccan waters, making fishermen fear for their jobs in Spain's already troubled economy.

Morocco says scrapped EU fishing deal will hurt ties — 15 December 2011, 16:41 CET

The scrapping of an EU-Morocco fisheries deal will hurt relations but could spell an opportunity for local fishing fleets, the north African country's fisheries minister said on Thursday.

Spain fishermen stuck in port after Morocco ban — 15 December 2011, 16:22 CET

Spanish fishing boats returned to port on Thursday after a ban on them trawling in Moroccan waters, which threatens the livelihood of hundreds of fishermen and deepens Spain's economic misery.

Spain demands EU compensation in fishing row — 15 December 2011, 16:41 CET

Spain said Thursday it will ask for compensation from the EU after the European Parliament cancelled a deal giving its trawlers special access to fish in Moroccan waters.

Fish-friendly laundry and dishwasher detergents - guide — 15 December 2011, 00:01 CET

Washing powders and dishwasher detergents will need to be almost phosphate-free in future, following a vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday. The measures aim to protect aquatic life in waterways and seas around the EU.

Euro-MPs block Morocco-Western Sahara fishing deal — 15 December 2011, 22:50 CET

The European Parliament on Wednesday cancelled a deal allowing trawlers from EU countries to fish in Moroccan waters in exchange for annual payments to Rabat, prompting the North African kingdom to immediately ban all European fishing boats.

European Fund for the EU's Maritime and Fisheries Policies - guide — 02 December 2011, 22:56 CET

The European Commission has proposed a new fund for the EU's maritime and fisheries policies for the period 2014-2020: the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The Fund will help deliver the ambitious objectives of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and will help fishermen in the transition towards sustainable fishing, as well as coastal communities in the diversification of their economies. The fund will finance projects that create new jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts. Red tape will be cut so that beneficiaries have easy access to financing.

EU launches new EUR 6.5bn fund to slash over-fishing — 08 December 2011, 16:54 CET

The European Commission unveiled a new 6.5-billion-euro fund Friday to help fishermen move towards sustainable fishing as part of an effort to save fish stocks.

Sharks - EC website — 21 November 2011, 15:26 CET

Sharks, rays and chimaeras (chondrichthyans, commonly referred to as 'sharks') are ancient species that play a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems. Since the mid-1980s, they have been under increasingly intense fishing pressure due to higher demand for shark products (meat, fins, skin, cartilage, etc.), especially in Asian markets. This over-exploitation affects populations that are generally fragile and is leading some species to the brink of extinction.

WWF sounds warning on caviar — 14 November 2011, 13:21 CET

Poaching and illegal trade in sturgeon caviar persist in Romania and Bulgaria, posing a serious risk to the highly threatened species of fish, the environmental group WWF warned on Monday.

TACs and quotas - EU fishing rules — 27 September 2011, 17:37 CET

Total allowable catches (TACs) are catch limits that are set for most significant commercial fish stocks. TACs are proposed by the Commission on the basis of scientific advice on the state of the stocks concerned and decided on by the Council of Fisheries Ministers. TACs are set annually for most stocks and every two years for deep sea species. For an increasing number of stocks, TACs are set in line with multi-annual plans. The TACs are shared between EU countries under a system known as 'relative stability' which keeps national quotas stable in relation to each other, even when the total quantity of fish that can be caught varies with the productivity of the fish stocks.

Palestinians to export direct to EU, avoiding Israel — 27 September 2011, 15:30 CET

The European Parliament Tuesday gave its green light to a deal enabling Palestinians to export farm and fish products directly to the European Union from next year, without transit through Israel.

EU sounds death-knell for cod-supper next year — 27 September 2011, 15:29 CET

EU officials on Tuesday ordered Scots and Irish trawlers to stop catching cod, king of fish-and-chip suppers, for the whole of 2012.

Europe's fishermen accused of being 'paid to overfish' — 13 September 2011, 22:52 CET

Europe's fishing industry is being "paid to overfish", with subsidies totalling 3.3 billion euros in 2009, or half the value of the yearly catch, environmental group Oceana said Tuesday.

Sierra Leone to access EU fisheries market — 20 August 2011, 17:16 CET

Sierra Leone has signed an agreement with Dutch firm Precon to facilitate access to EU markets for its fish and fisheries products, the marine resources minister said Saturday.

EU divided over fishing reform plan — 19 July 2011, 20:16 CET

Major European fishing states voiced deep reservations Tuesday over a controversial Commission proposal to reform the sector in a bid to replenish fish stocks within four years.

Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy - guide — 14 July 2011, 11:36 CET

The overall objective of the European Commission's proposals for a modern and simpler Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is to make fishing sustainable - environmentally, economically and socially. The new policy will bring fish stocks back to sustainable levels by ending overfishing and setting fishing opportunities based on scientific advice. It will provide EU citizens with a stable, secure and healthy food supply for the long term; it seeks to bring new prosperity to the fishing sector, end dependence on subsidies and create new opportunities for jobs and growth in coastal areas.

OECD upbeat on Iceland economy, but more reform needed — 21 June 2011, 14:16 CET

Iceland has largely recovered from its deep slump in the wake of the global financial crisis, says the OECD, but it calls for further strengthening of the country's monetary policy and changes to its fisheries management.

EU fisheries chief warns quotas face systematic drops — 25 May 2011, 20:48 CET

Europe's fisheries commissioner warned Wednesday that future quotas will be lowered systematically in the absence of reliable scientitic data from EU states on stock sustainability.

EU warns against bluefin tuna fishing in Libya waters — 18 May 2011, 22:37 CET

The European Commission has warned against fishing bluefin tuna in Libyan waters or buying it from Libyan-flagged ships, which are likely to be catching the endangered fish illegally.

EU eyes fish quota shake-up to replenish stocks — 22 April 2011, 12:49 CET

The European Commission wants to replenish EU fish stocks within four years by introducing national quota trading in moves already upsetting key fishing states in France and Spain.

Common Fisheries Policy - contracts and funding — 16 April 2011, 23:23 CET

The European Commission regularly publishes calls for tenders, proposals and expressions of interest to buy in services and goods.

Aquaculture - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries - Contracts and funding — 16 April 2011, 23:18 CET

The European Commission regularly publishes calls for tenders, proposals and expressions of interest to buy in services and goods.