Oceana Opposes Reopening the Common Fisheries Policy

Oceana warns that reopening Common Fisheries Policy risks jobs, food supply and climate resilience

Marine NGO Oceana has strongly urged EU Member States to focus on implementing the existing Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) rather than reopening or reforming it. In a statement released alongside its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation, Oceana argued that the CFP remains fully fit for purpose and has already delivered tangible gains for fish stocks, the fishing industry, and food security across Europe.

“The Common Fisheries Policy is a well-designed framework that aims to ensure abundant fish stocks, the long-term viability of the fishing industry, and food security,” said Vera Coelho, Deputy Vice President at Oceana in Europe. “If EU countries implement and comply with its requirements, and if the European Commission holds them accountable through legal action, Europe can unlock the policy’s full potential, benefiting the ocean, fishers, and the blue economy.”

Oceana’s intervention comes as the European Commission evaluates the effectiveness of the CFP ahead of a planned review in 2026. While some stakeholders are calling for major reforms, Oceana insists that poor implementation by Member States — not structural flaws in the legislation — is the primary obstacle to achieving sustainable fisheries.

CFP already delivering results

Since the last CFP reform in 2013, the EU has seen a reduction in overfishing, particularly in the North-East Atlantic and Mediterranean, as well as an improvement in profitability across the EU fishing fleet. Oceana points out that the sector weathered multiple recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and soaring fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine, while still maintaining a profitable outlook.

According to Oceana, the CFP is capable of delivering even more—if fully implemented. The NGO highlights several benefits of sticking to the current framework:

• Food security and strategic autonomy: Rebuilding EU fish stocks to healthy levels would reduce reliance on imports and help ensure a more stable domestic food supply.

• More jobs and social value: Oceana noted that the CFP requires quotas to be distributed not solely based on historical catch data but also on social, economic, and environmental criteria—an approach that, if applied, would favour low-impact, small-scale fishing operations that benefit local communities.

• Greater climate resilience: The policy framework requires decisions to be science-based and ecosystem-aware. Oceana called on governments to better incorporate climate-driven shifts in fish stocks into management plans.

Implementation gaps threaten progress

Oceana also flagged a range of areas where the CFP remains poorly implemented. These include:

• Failing to restrict destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling within Marine Protected Areas.

• Weak consumer information and labelling on seafood products, particularly processed items.

• Insufficient oversight of imported seafood and a lack of transparency around European beneficiaries of high-risk fishing vessels operating outside the EU.

Vera Coelho added, “At a time of global instability, it makes no sense to introduce more uncertainty for Europe’s fishers by reforming a strong and working policy. Instead, we need bold implementation, rigorous enforcement, and the political will to deliver the sustainability the CFP was designed to achieve.”

The European Commission’s public consultation on the CFP is part of a broader evaluation due to be completed in 2026. Oceana’s position reinforces growing calls from environmental groups and small-scale fishers that the existing legislation offers the tools needed — if EU countries choose to use them.