Young people from across Europe’s small-scale fisheries sector have launched the Low Impact Fishers of Europe Youth Network, creating a united platform to ensure that their voices are heard in the decisions affecting their livelihoods and communities.
The network brings together young fishers, shellfish gatherers, and community advocates.
Twenty representatives from Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain plus Norway and the United Kingdom gathered in Brussels to launch the network in the framework of the Make Fishing Fair Youth Summit. They were joined by ten experienced small-scale fishers, connecting generations around a shared commitment to resilient coastal communities and low-impact fishing.
During the two-day event, delegates brought their concerns and ambitions directly to senior EU policymakers, including European Commission Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Charlina Vitcheva, and Members of the European Parliament. Among the priorities highlighted by young people are fair access to fishing opportunities, funded training with structured mentoring and apprenticeships, and equal social rights for all fishers and fishworkers.
‘We have the passion, energy and readiness to innovate, but without urgent action, that lifeline could be cut, denying us the opportunity to carry this way of life into the future,’ said youth delegates during the launch event.
To change the course of action, the network is seeking to maintain the current EU definition of small scale fisheries and include a legally binding EU Action Plan for Small-Scale Fisheries as part of the Ocean Act; one that recognises the fundamental differences between
low-impact small-scale fishing and large-scale industrial operations and responds to the sector’s specific realities. Most importantly, the newly-established network calls on governments and EU Institutions to support meaningful youth participation and give young people a formal and permanent role in EU fisheries governance.
‘Hopefully, the network’s launch will trigger necessary action from decision-makers to make fishing fair,’ said Muireann Kavanagh, a young fisher from Ireland.
