“The revised fisheries control system is a major achievement, and we should not jeopardise it now,” says European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas kadis. He is right!

In 2023, after five years of negotiations, EU Member States and the European Parliament ramped up the fight against hidden overfishing by updating Europe’s rules on fisheries control and making them fit for the digital age. 

By mandating the use of digital tools such as satellite monitoring and digital catch registration, authorities – and fishers themselves – can manage their fishing grounds more effectively, while ensuring transparency and a level playing field across Europe. 

Now it’s over to them to use them.

This is the first of a two-part video series on the EU Fisheries Control Regulation. Watch part two here.

Read our joint letter on the Control Regulation to Commissioner Kadis here.

Posted on: 17 February 2026

• Low impact fisheries
• Ocean governance
• Rewilding the ocean