Today’s [30 April] publication of the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (1), released by the European Commission, has highlighted that the CFP is sound but key objectives are not yet fully achieved due to weak and uneven implementation (2).
The law already provides the necessary measures to end overfishing, boost low-impact fishing practices (3) and preserve ecosystems. Yet, in practice, these tools remain underused or are applied inconsistently due to political choices. As a result, the gap between agreed objectives, and real-world outcomes remains significant, with serious environmental and social consequences (4), warns marine NGO Seas At Risk.
This implementation gap exacerbates the multiple crises fishers are facing. This evaluation is a wake-up call to accelerate the implementation of the CFP and transition urgently towards low-impact fisheries to reverse current pressures on marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
The Vision for fair, low-impact fisheries, jointly developed by a diverse group of fishers, fishmongers, scientists and environmental activists (5), provides a concrete pathway for this transition that can be achieved within the current policy framework. It helps to step away from short-term thinking and embrace long-term sustainability. Crucially, the transition must be adequately funded, including through EU financial support.
“The evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy shows that the journey is incomplete,” said Bruno Nicostrate, Senior Fisheries Policy Officer at Seas At Risk. “What is still missing is the courage to fully implement what has already been agreed. The necessary tools are in place to deliver a transition to fair, low-impact fisheries. Now they must be used, and properly supported through EU funding.”
NOTES
- – Today the European Commission published the Common Fisheries Policy.
- From the Commission’s evaluation “All in all, the CFP Regulation remains a very important and relevant tool to manage a common natural resource and related economic activity in a changing world. Its broad and comprehensive objectives allow it to cater to many emerging issues. Inefficiencies and gaps identified in the evaluation and by stakeholders are often dependent on the full implementation of its provisions or provisions of secondary legislation. This does not put into question the fundamental pillars of environmental, economic and social sustainability.”
- – Article 17 of the EU Common Fisheries Policy allows Member States to allocate fishing quotas using criteria beyond historical catch records, including environmental and socio-economic factors. This flexibility remains largely unexploited across the EU Member States. In 2025 the European Commission published guidelines for EU Member States to better make use of this tool. Seas At Risk press release.
- In 2025, marine NGOs published a study that reveals that the political economy of the fisheries sector in Europe drives industrialisation and economic concentration to the detriment of more environmentally friendly practices and a fairer distribution of resources. The challenges highlighted in the study are not due to inherent flaws in the legislation, but rather to its inconsistent implementation. While the law provides various opportunities to transition to low-impact fisheries and support small-scale fishers, policy-makers not only fail to utilise these options, but they often even fail to meet the law’s compulsory minimum requirements.
- The “Vision for fair, low-impact fisheries” was developed by a diverse group of stakeholders including fishers, fishmongers, scientists and environmental NGOs from across Europe. Under the name “Rethink Fisheries”, the group aims to inspire policy-makers and accelerate a just transition to low-impact fisheries.
Posted on: 30 April 2026
