More than forty small-scale fishers from across Europe gathered this week in Brussels to present Commissioner Costas Kadis, MEPs and stakeholders with a collective roadmap to achieving fair fisheries.
‘Small-scale fishers are the beating heart of Europe’s coastal communities,’ said Gwen Pennarun, President of the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE).
‘We are not asking for special treatment – we are asking for fairness. If the EU is serious about protecting our seas and the people who depend on them, it must give small-scale, low-impact fishers the space and management tools to lead the way.’
Their key message is that Europe’s future fisheries must place small-scale, low-impact fishers at the centre of decision-making – recognising them as leading the transition toward fair, sustainable, and resilient seas. They state that this requires urgent and concrete measures by the European Institutions and Member States, grounded in a Plan for Small-Scale Fisheries in Europe by 2026 that recognises the diversity, specific needs and shared responsibilities of both small- and large-scale fisheries.
The forum, that brought together fishers, policymakers, scientists, and NGOs at a pivotal time for EU fisheries, takes place against a critical policy backdrop, a week before the Small-Scale Fisheries Implementation Dialogue organised by the EU Commission, and right after the release of the Vademecum. These developments are seen as marking decisive moments that will shape the future of European fisheries management.
‘If we lose small-scale fishers, we lose not only jobs but a way of life. Europe’s fisheries policy must finally reward those who protect our seas, not those who exploit them,’ said The Left Group MEP Luke Ming Flanagan.
The roadmap presented to the commissioner calls for a raft of measures, including restororation of stocks using better science and traditional knowledge to rebuild ecosystem health, protection of small-scale fisheries from competing impactful blue economy sectors by securing preferential access within the territorial waters, extending out to 6 and 12-nautical mile limits where appropriate, and fair allocation of fishing opportunities based on social, economic and environmental criteria.
‘Without adequate policy support and effective implementation, small-scale fisheries – and the economic, social, cultural, and environmental value they bring – will continue to erode, with lasting consequences for Europe’s coasts and future generations,’ the small-scale sector told the commissioner and MEPs.
