ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF FISHING ENTERPRISES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Press Releases

Europêche supports UNOC3 Declaration to boost multilateral ocean and fisheries governance

Nice, France – Europêche, the leading representative body for the European fishing sector, warmly welcomes the adoption of the UNOC3 Political Declaration , as a significant step forward in strengthening multilateral ocean governance, advancing science-based management, enhancing marine spatial planning, and intensifying the global fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

EU Ocean Pact charts a new course for fisheries

The European Commission has presented today the EU Ocean Pact, a strategic initiative that marks the start of a new framework for the future of fisheries and maritime industries in the European Union. Europêche is encouraged by the recognition of the essential role of fisheries within the broader ocean governance framework.

Europêche welcomes the Latvian North Atlantic Fisheries Association as new member

Europêche is pleased to announce that the Latvian North Atlantic Fisheries Association (Latvijas Ziemeļatlantijas Zvejas asociācija) has officially joined as a new member, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the voice of the European fishing sector at EU and international levels.

News

iFish, We Fish

The commercial fisheries of the EU stretch for thousands of square miles, from the inhospitable seas of the Arctic North, to the warmer and more favourable climes of the Southern Mediterranean. These communal waters harbour a plethora of commercial species of fish and shellfish, the landings of which form an integral part of the economies of 23 member countries, accounting for a colossal 4.9 million tonne catch, from a fleet of 87,500 vessels, a statistic that indicates a world ranking of 5th largest in terms of total output.

European Projects

Home by the Sea -Can fisheries and wind farms co-exist?

Sustainable fishing activities require space as does the development and operation of offshore wind farms. In order to safeguard the future of our seas and oceans, the EU adopted back in 2014 a Directive for maritime and coastal spatial planning urging Member States to ensure that human activities at sea take place in an efficient, safe and sustainable way and reduce users’ conflicts. At the same time, to tackle climate change, EU governments are determined to answer to the EU’s Paris Agreement nationally determined contribution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990. For this purpose, some countries are pushing to increase offshore wind power 40-fold by 2030 in Europe.

Needless to say, the European wind industry has an ambitious plan, hereby claiming a vast amount of space. Therefore, the question 'Can fisheries and wind farms co-exist?’ is a relevant but complex question which will become more pressing in the near future.

Home by the Sea by Hiske Ridder. www.conpuls.nl

On behalf of and many thanks to: Job Schot, Dirk Kraak and Cor Vonk,  www.vissersvoorvrijezee.nl. Julien Theore, Silvain Gallaisl and Olivier Becquet, https://pecheursartisans.com. Bertrand Wendling, https://sathoan.fr. Pim Visser, VisNed.nl. Rosalie Tukker, http://europeche.chil.me.