NWWAC advice on Vision 2040 highlights industry concerns over policy direction, spatial pressures, and lack of economic certainty
The European Commission’s development of a long-term Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture is being met with strong caution from the North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC), which says the EU must avoid repeating policy failures that have weakened the sector.
In its advice, published 10 April 2026, the NWWAC warns that the EU’s current approach risks “weakening its domestic food chain” by failing to provide new economic opportunities while increasing regulatory limitations.
The council says the Vision 2040 is an opportunity to move beyond “fragmented, siloed policymaking” that has created “significant gaps and inconsistencies across fisheries, aquaculture and maritime policies.”
Food Security Risks and Import Dependence
A central concern for the NWWAC is the EU’s growing reliance on third‑country seafood. The advice notes that seafood imports now “account for over 80% of total consumption,” a level the council describes as “a fundamental threat to the EU’s food security/food sovereignty, and long-term stability.”
The NWWAC warns this dependence leaves Europe “vulnerable to external shocks and supply chain disruptions” and calls for a shift toward a food‑centred strategy that recognises aquatic products as essential components of strategic autonomy.
It urges the Commission to establish an EU Action Plan for Blue Foods, arguing that the EU must “centralise blue foods as a driver for societal resilience, sustainability and climate mitigation.” It also calls for harmonised import rules so that “all imports meet the same rigorous criteria as domestic products.”
The NWWAC further insists that domestic producers should receive strengthened visibility through the “Buy European Food” campaign announced by the Commission.
Outdated Capacity Rules Seen as Barrier to Decarbonisation
The advisory council argues that the EU’s vessel capacity rules are obstructing green innovation. Current gross tonnage and kilowatt limits, it says, “act as barriers to decarbonisation, safety, and comfort, as green technologies… require additional space.”
The document stresses that transitioning to cleaner propulsion is physically constrained by current legislation:
“Transitioning to environmentally superior Tier 3 engines requires additional onboard space for essential emission‑reduction hardware… Without a regulatory adjustment to GT allowances, these vital green upgrades are physically and legally obstructed.”
The NWWAC argues that capacity rules must be modernised because “fishing effort is managed by catch limits rather than vessel volume,” meaning increased tonnage for green technology would not increase fishing pressure.
Expanding Spatial Pressures Threaten Fleet Viability
The NWWAC raises alarm over the growing competition for maritime space and its impacts on traditional fishing grounds. The advice states:
“Traditional fishing grounds are increasingly encroached upon by the expansion of offshore renewable energy (ORE), subsea cabling, and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).”
This cumulative spatial squeeze, the council warns, “threatens [the sector’s] long-term viability.” It adds that displacement into less productive areas forces vessels to spend longer at sea, “which inevitably drives up fuel consumption and contradicts the industry’s core objective of reducing its carbon footprint.”
The NWWAC insists that food production must be prioritised within Maritime Spatial Planning, stating:
“Wild-capture fisheries require spatial flexibility to follow migratory stocks, unlike stationary energy infrastructure.”
Administrative Burden and Digitalisation Criticised
The advisory council says EU regulatory reforms are increasing bureaucracy rather than reducing it. It warns that digitalisation under the Control Regulation “often increase[s] operational and financial pressures rather than alleviating them.”
It calls on the Commission to introduce a “Fisheries Omnibus Package” to simplify overlapping and inconsistent regulations that currently hinder compliance.
On market governance, the NWWAC advocates for a common EU standard on seafood traceability:
“Develop a single, verified, and tech‑driven traceability standard across all Member States… [and] a ‘Produced in the EU’ designation.”
Generational Renewal Hinges on Economic Predictability
The NWWAC warns that the sector faces a structural generational crisis rooted in economic instability, stating the Vision 2040 must “move beyond superficial communication campaigns and address the fundamental lack of economic predictability.”
It argues that policy stability and financing tools are essential, alongside reforms to vessel capacity rules so that fleets can improve safety and working conditions. Modernisation is necessary to “improve standards of comfort, safety, and gender parity,” which the council says is critical to making the profession viable for young people.
The NWWAC warns that without new entrants, “it would eventually become impossible to reach the EU’s goals related to sustainability, food security, and food sovereignty.”
Call for a Coherent, Food‑Centred Strategic Framework
In its concluding remarks, the NWWAC states the Vision 2040 must become “a transformative roadmap that transitions the sector away from fragmented, siloed policymaking toward a coherent, food‑centred strategic framework.”
The council argues that only by addressing maritime space conflicts, modernising regulatory constraints, supporting generational renewal and reinforcing food sovereignty can the EU secure the long‑term resilience of its fisheries sector.
