What changed

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

P10_TA(2026)0067

on the fisheriesFisheries management approaches for safeguarding sensitive species, tackling invasive species and benefiting local economies

(2025/2011(INI))

Committee on Fisheries

PE769.962

European Parliament resolution of 10 March 2026 on the fisheries management approaches for safeguarding sensitive species, tackling invasive species and benefiting local economies (2025/2011(INI))

The European Parliament,

G. whereas stakeholders are working together in several projects to try out new management methods and gear in order to reduce the level of bycatch and incidental catches of sensitive species during fishing operations;

H. whereas data published by the European Environment Agency in 2025 showed that marine protected areas (MPAs) covered 13.713,7 % of EU waters;

I. whereas the Commission’s Mission Ocean and Waters service portal reports on a study indicating that, in 2023, fisheries were authorised in over 40 % of MPA areas, restricted in less than 25 % and explicitly prohibited in only 0.40,4 %;

J. whereas invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the drivers of biodiversity loss, have negative impacts on fisheries, aquaculture and ecosystem functions, and can be detrimental to human health, infrastructure and biosecurity;

Q. whereas the EU biodiversity strategy committed to managing established IAS and reducing the number of Red List species they threaten by 50 % by 2030;

R. whereas the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN) currently monitors 12 423 alien species across various environments, of which 1 440 (11.6(11,6 %) are marine species; whereas as of 2019, 53 % of Europe’s sea coastlines are under pressure from IAS, with significant regional variation – 33 % of the coastlines of the Baltic Sea, 100 % of the Black Sea, 98 % of the Mediterranean Sea and 25 % of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean;

S. whereas climate change, especially ocean warming, and the increased movement of goods and people are key vectors for the introduction of IAS and can intensify their impact on sensitive species, ecosystems and, consequently, fishing activities;

Z. whereas the spread of invasive species and an increase in predator populations in some regions have impacts on the ecosystem and on fishing and aquaculture sectors, with small-scale coastal operations being particularly vulnerable;

AA. whereas Eurostat maintains a comprehensive database of long-term data on fisheries catches, providing valuable insights that can inform the development of effective fisheries management strategies and the assessment of sensitive species and can contribute to early warning systems for alien species;

AA. whereas during a public consultation organised by the Commission, 94 % of all respondents indicated that they were against or strongly against the placing of seal products on the market, rejecting it as a fisheries management measure; whereas 89 % of respondents indicated that seal hunting raises significant moral concerns;

AB. whereas instruments such as other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) may also contribute to conservation and management efforts;

AB. whereas Eurostat maintains a comprehensive database of long-term data on fisheries catches, providing valuable insights that can inform the development of effective fisheries management strategies and the assessment of sensitive species and can contribute to early warning systems for alien species;

AC. whereas there are no direct EU standards on ballast water; whereas rules on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of IAS recognise the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments as one of the possible measures for managing invasive species of concern;

AC. whereas instruments such as other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) may also contribute to conservation and management efforts;

AD. whereas there are no direct EU standards on ballast water; whereas rules on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of IAS recognise the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments as one of the possible measures for managing invasive species of concern;

Sensitive species: ocean resilience indicators

31. Recommends increased cooperation between scientific institutions and EU agencies to improve knowledge transfer and applied research on the spread, impact and control of invasive marine species;

32. Underlines that the Mediterranean Sea, which, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, is warming 20 % ​​fasterfaster than the rest of the globe, is a particular hotspot, harbouring more IAS than any other sea globally, with significant negative impacts on marine ecosystems and on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, thus requiring particular attention; urges the Commission and the Member States, in this regard, to allocate additional resources and to establish urgent measures to stop the spread of these species in this sea basin;

33. Calls on the Commission to support the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean in its scientific monitoring initiatives and pilot projects to address the challenges of invasive marine species;

51. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This report addresses the crucial and interconnected challenges of safeguarding sensitive marine species, tackling the growing threat of Invasive Alien Species (IAS), and ensuring that these efforts contribute positively to local economies, particularly within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Whilst noting the long-standing commitment of the European Union to sustainable fisheries management and its role in preserving marine biodiversity, protecting vulnerable species, supporting coastal communities, and guaranteeing food security, it also notes that, regarding marine IAS there is significantly less data on their presence and threats for the EU and Member States, then for IAS presence in other ecosystems.

The report stresses the essential role of sensitive species as vital indicators of marine ecosystem health and the intrinsic environmental, economic, and social value of their protection. It urges the Commission and Member States to prioritise their conservation through robust fisheries management approaches, full implementation of marine protected area goals, and reinforced protection of critical habitats.

It also emphasises the need to fully utilise the tools available under the Common Fisheries policy (CFP), particularly the technical measures regulation, to mitigate fisheries interactions with sensitive species and highlights the importance of data collected under the CFP for accurately assessing fisheries impacts and calls for the integration of sensitive species protection and recovery across all relevant legal proposals.

While acknowledging the current list of IAS of Union concern, it expresses regret that this list does not adequately reflect the significant threat posed by IAS to the EU marine environment and calls for its urgent improvement based on the latest scientific evidence and risk assessments.

The report also highlights the deficiency in specific monitoring programmes for marine IAS and advocates for enhanced monitoring methods and the harmonisation of indicators across the EU. It recommends the development of threshold setting methodologies and values for all European marine regions, considering pathway manageability and the effective enforcement of the Ballast Water Convention.

The report further underscores the growing role of climate change and increased global movement in facilitating the introduction and spread of IAS, thereby intensifying their effects on sensitive species and ecosystems, with direct consequences for fishing activities.

Finally, it acknowledges the international dimension of the IAS challenge and the EU’s commitment within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The final section focuses on the Opportunities and challenges for the benefit of coastal communities. It emphasises that IAS not only harm biodiversity but also impair fisheries, aquaculture, and other economic, social, and cultural activities and stresses the need for a comprehensive understanding of the economic, ecosystem service, and biodiversity impacts of IAS to effectively prevent new invasions and implement mitigation measures.

It calls for the development of awareness campaigns targeting fishers, the general public, and stakeholders to improve understanding of IAS introduction, detection, and impacts and advocates for financial support for the protection of marine ecosystems and sensitive species, as well as for regional, national, and European information, monitoring, and early warning systems for IAS, recognising their dual benefit for biodiversity conservation and fisheries.

Finally, it acknowledges the particular vulnerability of Outermost Regions to IAS and the importance of sensitive species in their marine environments, calling for the recognition of the significance of addressing both issues in these regions and highlighting the potential of sustainable eco-tourism to promote marine ecosystem conservation with direct benefits for fisheries and aquaculture.

In conclusion, this report seeks to galvanise action at and calls for a more integrated, science-based, and collaborative approach, recognising the urgency and complexity of these interconnected challenges.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he included in his report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

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