EU Fisheries Policy

Latest news on the European Union's fisheries policy.

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Iceland slows EU membership talks ahead of election — 14 January 2013, 23:11 CET

Iceland said on Monday it was putting the brakes on its European Union membership talks so the issue would not interfere with its legislative elections scheduled for April 27.

Fishing nations, campaigners split on new EU quotas — 21 December 2012, 11:01 CET

European Union fisheries ministers Thursday struck a deal on 2013 quotas viewed as a "compromise" between efforts to protect endangered stocks while ensuring jobs for Europe's fishermen.

Disputed fish quota cuts lead to tough EU talks — 19 December 2012, 00:03 CET

EU fishery ministers began difficult talks Tuesday on the vexed question of 2013 quotas as they sought to balance conflicting demands from environmentalists and fishermen alike.

Iceland in new stride towards EU membership — 18 December 2012, 18:36 CET

Iceland made "substantial progress" in its quest to join the European Union, though the contentious issue of fishing rights has yet to be tackled, the EU said on Tuesday.

EU to prolong fishing ban for endangered sharks — 29 November 2012, 18:57 CET

EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said Thursday that a total ban on fishing endangered deepwater shark species would be maintained for another two years.

EU finally ends shark finning — 23 November 2012, 14:01 CET

The European Parliament on Thursday called a definitive halt to shark finning, the long contested practice of fishermen slicing off fins and throwing the live body overboard to drown.

EU gives 'yellow card' to eight nations for illegal fishing — 15 November 2012, 15:43 CET

The European Commission warned eight developing countries Thursday of sanctions if they did not do more to stop "criminal" illegal fishing, saying it was taking the first step of its kind.

EU fight against illegal fishing — 15 November 2012, 13:30 CET

The European Commission has stepped up its action to fight illegal fishing worldwide by warning eight third countries that they risk being identified as countries it considers non-cooperative in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The countries in question are Belize, Cambodia, Fiji, Guinea, Panama, Sri Lanka, Togo and Vanuatu. Today's decision is the first of its kind and it highlights that these countries are not doing enough to fight illegal fishing. It identifies concrete shortcomings, such as lack of dialogue or lack of actions to address deficiencies in monitoring, controlling and surveillance of fisheries, and suggests corrective actions to resolve them. The decision will not, at this stage, entail any measures affecting trade. The eight countries have been notified and given a reasonable time to respond and take measures to rectify the situation. The Commission has also proposed an action plan for each country. Should the situation not improve, the EU could take further steps, which could entail trade measures such as a ban on selling fisheries products to the EU.

EU keeps fishing subsidies — 24 October 2012, 18:26 CET

The EU agreed on Wednesday to maintain controversial fishing subsidies, sparking a sharp response from environmental groups who say the payments encourage overfishing of already stressed stocks.

EU states differ sharply on fishing subsidies — 23 October 2012, 18:59 CET

EU member states stuck to their sharply different views Tuesday on how 6.5 billion euros in 2014-20 fishing industry subsidies should be spent -- modernising or cutting back the fleet.

EU states agree to cut Baltic cod quotas — 22 October 2012, 19:22 CET

Key EU states agreed Monday to cut cod fishing quotas in Baltic waters in a bid to bring stocks back up to sustainable levels, the European Commission said.

Map of fishing areas in the EU — 11 October 2012, 12:49 CET

There are seven Regional Advisory Councils under the CFP. Five are based on geographically and biologically coherent zones. The two others are based on the exploitation of certain stocks: pelagic stocks in Community waters (except in the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas), and high-sea fisheries outside Community waters.

Spain wants EU-Mauritania fishery accord reworked: source — 21 September 2012, 18:02 CET

Spain wants its EU partners to look again at a recently concluded fishing accord with Mauritania because it is not working and harms the interests of its fishermen, EU sources said Friday.

Euro-MPs approve sanctions for over-fishing — 13 September 2012, 12:28 CET

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved sanctions on countries such as Iceland and Denmark judged to have over-fished specific stocks, such as mackerel.

EU cuts 2012 quotas for over-fishing countries — 01 August 2012, 18:48 CET

The European Commission has punished countries that had exceeded their 2011 fishing limit by slashing their quotas for this year, with Britain and Spain among the hardest hit.

Mauritania and EU sign a new fishing accord — 27 July 2012, 11:34 CET

Mauritania and the European Union signed a new fishing accord Thursday after months of heated debate to agree on the EU's exact financial contribution.

Faroe Islands blast threat of EU sanctions in mackerel war — 18 July 2012, 17:16 CET

The Faroe Islands, an autonomous Danish territory, on Wednesday harshly criticised calls by Ireland and other EU countries for sanctions against it and Iceland for over-fishing of mackerel.

EU probes suspected North Sea shrimp cartel — 13 July 2012, 15:36 CET

The European Commission said Friday it suspects that four North Sea shrimp traders may have formed an illegal cartel to fix prices in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium.

EU seeks to crack down on shark finning — 20 March 2012, 17:31 CET

The European Union endorsed tighter shark fishing rules on Monday to ensure fishermen respect a ban on slicing off the fins of their catches and throwing the live body overboard to drown.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.