The EAPO warns that despite progress, the EU’s quota-setting process is inconsistent, undermining scientific advice
The European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) has expressed concern that the European Commission is not consistently following its own scientific advice when setting fishing quotas.
In a new document, the EAPO acknowledged the Commission’s communication on sustainable fishing, noting the improvement in the sustainability of European fisheries and the decrease in fishing mortality over the last decade.
It also highlighted that the Commission’s document mentions that other pressures besides fisheries, such as climate change, are increasingly affecting fish stocks, although this issue is not addressed further in the communication.
The EAPO is worried that the Commission’s practice of setting quotas often diverges from scientific recommendations. While the Commission states that proposals will be based on the best available scientific advice from ICES and STECF, the EAPO observes that this is not always the case.
The document states that the general trend is to set quotas in line with negative scientific advice, but not when the advice is positive.
For instance, the EAPO points to the Baltic Sea as a recent example of this inconsistency, where the Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities for 2026 is not in line with the scientific advice. The EAPO notes that no figures are ever provided for the TACs that are set below scientific advice, only those set above it.
The EAPO also expressed frustration with the landing obligation, which requires all catches of regulated commercial species to be landed. It highlights ongoing issues related to “choke species,” exemptions, and the economics of landing all quota fish.
These issues have been consistently highlighted by both the industry and Member States. The EAPO states that while the Commission believes Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) will solve all control issues, it is not a “panacea” for the landing obligation’s implementation.
