EU Ocean Pact raises concern fishing sector could be marginalised amid offshore wind and conservation targets
MEP Gabriel Mato Warns Against Marginalising Fishermen in EU Marine Governance Framework
The European Commission has unveiled its new Pact for the Oceans, a wide-ranging strategy aimed at protecting marine ecosystems while addressing climate change and boosting ocean governance across the EU. But concerns are already being raised that the pact may sideline the fishing industry in favour of offshore energy, conservation targets, and other competing interests.
Unveiled ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, the initiative outlines the Commission’s vision for achieving sustainable use of the marine environment while strengthening the EU’s leadership in global ocean governance.
However, MEP Gabriel Mato, the European People’s Party (EPP) spokesperson on the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, said the pact must not come at the expense of Europe’s fishermen or their continued access to traditional fishing grounds.
“The Pact for the Oceans to be led by the EU must strengthen the competitiveness of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, and ensure that they are not forgotten or sacrificed in favour of other more influential sectors,” said Mato. “We cannot allow the sea to be managed behind the backs of the fishing industry.”
He warned that the increasing allocation of space for offshore wind energy, oil and gas extraction, seabed mining, and tourism was putting pressure on traditional users of the sea, particularly inshore and coastal fishing communities.
Mato called for the pact to defend Europe’s food security through “fair access to maritime areas for sustainable fishing” and cautioned against “excessive regulations that harm the sector”. He also reiterated the need to tackle illegal fishing and unfair competition from third countries.
The Pact for the Oceans is designed to implement international obligations under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and EU commitments to protect at least 30% of the sea by 2030, with 10% under strict protection. But industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that such targets—if applied without balance—risk undermining the long-term viability of coastal communities dependent on fishing.
Mato said the solution lies in an inclusive approach: “Environmental protection and competitive fisheries can go hand in hand. Science, technology and fishermen’s expertise must be part of the debate if we want to preserve our seas without compromising the viability of the sector.”
The Pact will form the basis of the EU’s position at the UNOC summit, where calls to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas and phase out harmful subsidies are expected to dominate negotiations.
While the European Commission insists the pact balances economic, environmental, and social dimensions of ocean use, critics argue that similar EU strategies have failed to deliver such balance in practice.
Source: Press Release