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EU Action Plan: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries

TA-9-2024-0046 · P9_TA(2024)0046 · PE752.944

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution responds to the Commission's 2023 action plan on protecting marine ecosystems and sustainable fisheries. It welcomes progress by the fisheries sector but says the plan lacks coherence with food security, stakeholder consultation and impact assessment. It calls for a balanced, ecosystem-based approach to marine protected areas and rejects a blanket ban on mobile bottom fishing, asking that such measures be assessed scientifically and regulated under the Technical Measures Regulation. It asks for financial support and compensation through the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund for fleets transitioning to more selective techniques, and for measures to reduce by-catch of sensitive species such as dolphins and porpoises. On eels, it says the Eel Regulation should remain the core policy and criticises a six-month closure introduced without consultation or compensation. It calls for reciprocity in international agreements, mirrored restrictions on imported products, and support for developing countries to improve ocean management and tackle illegal fishing.

Key points

  1. Praises the EU fisheries sector's sustainability efforts but notes the ocean is also affected by overfishing, climate change, acidification, invasive species and pollution beyond fishers' control.
  2. Says the action plan lacks coherence with food security and EU strategic autonomy, and should follow an integrated, ecosystem-based approach ensuring a level playing field with non-EU countries.
  3. Regrets the lack of real stakeholder consultation and that proportionality is not properly considered in Commission proposals.
  4. Welcomes measures to boost gear selectivity and reduce by-catch of sensitive species, and calls for short-term closures, acoustic deterrent devices and improved monitoring to cut dolphin and porpoise by-catch.
  5. Requests financial support for scientific studies, compensation and incentives through the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund for fleets moving to more selective techniques and for those most affected by restrictions.
  6. Reiterates the objectives of protecting at least 30% and strictly protecting at least 10% of EU seas by 2030.
  7. Calls for a balanced approach to marine protected areas that reflects each area's conservation objectives and traditional activities, with fishers participating in designation and management.
  8. Says restrictions on bottom contacting gears must consider available resources, fishers' experience, vessel redistribution and avoid conflict and increased pressure elsewhere.
  9. Welcomes the Commission's acknowledgement that a blanket ban on mobile bottom contacting fishing is unsuitable, and says such measures should be regulated under the Technical Measures Regulation.
  10. Says the Eel Regulation should remain the core policy for eel management, calls for an eel-specific expert group, and criticises the six-month closure in Council Regulation (EU) 2023/194 for lacking consultation and compensation.
  11. Calls for a competitiveness check on the action plan and fisheries proposals, and regrets the absence of a socioeconomic study, impact assessment or additional financing measures for the green and energy transitions.
  12. Calls for reciprocity in international agreements, mirrored restrictions on imported products, and EU support for developing countries on ocean management, illegal fishing and transparency.

Who is affected

  • EU fishing fleets and coastal communities, which would face restrictions, transition costs and potential compensation.
  • Member States, which must implement protective measures, allocate fishing opportunities under Article 17 CFP and update eel management plans.
  • The Commission, which is asked to ensure coherence, conduct impact assessments and avoid using communications to impose binding measures.
  • Non-EU countries and their fleets, whose products would face mirrored restrictions and which are urged to adopt similar rules.
  • Developing countries, especially in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, which would receive capacity building and financing for ocean management.

Figures and deadlines

  • 87 areas in EU waters of the north-east Atlantic where all bottom fishing gear is prohibited
  • 16 419 km2 total area covered by those closures
  • 17% of the area between 400 and 800 metres deep where bottom fishing gear is not allowed
  • at least 30% of EU seas to be protected by 2030
  • at least 10% of EU seas to be strictly protected by 2030
  • end of March 2024 deadline for Member States on mobile bottom fishing in Natura 2000 MPAs
  • 2030 deadline for phasing out mobile bottom fishing in all MPAs
  • mobile bottom gear catches account for 25% of total European catches

Legal basis: Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union on a fair standard of living for agricultural and fishing communities, and Article 5 on proportionality